Manchester and Salford RSCPA in "crisis" with lowest adoption levels in over a decade

The charity say their rescue centres are full of unwanted pets, as more animals are coming into care than being adopted

Author: Olivia DaviesPublished 28th Jun 2024

The UK's leading animal charity is warning adoption levels are the lowest they've been in over a decade in Greater Manchester.

RSPCA say their rescue centres are full of unwanted pets - as more animals are coming into care than are being adopted.

The latest stats show between 2021 and 2022 - there's been about a five per cent increase in the number of dogs and cats taken into care.

The RSPCA said: "As the world changes and the threats facing animals mount, the RSPCA must rise to meet them. The times we're living through — climate change, factory farming, wars, and a cost-of-living crisis — demand an urgent response."

Susie Hughes is from the branch manager at Manchester and Salford, she said: "I can tell you that this is the all time lowest adoption rates we have ever seen in fifteen years. We're lucky if we can rehome kittens, and adult cats, who have no health issues, no behavioural issues, they're just gorgeous cats, are sitting waiting in foster homes, just waiting to find a home.

"What people don't realise is we work on a one in one out basis, so until we home an animal, we can't admit a new one.

"Demand for our spaces is also at a all time high.

"We're having to look at new ways in which we can create capacity, to help more animals.

"We can't afford to take any more animals in, which means that there are animals out there having to be left in circumstances that are not ideal, there's a greater number of abandonments, there's a greater number of cruelty and neglect cases...

"We are at a crisis. We're at a breaking point now,"

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