Hundreds of pets abandoned in South Yorkshire last year
New figures from the RSPCA show South Yorkshire's one of the worst places for owners abandoning their pets.
South Yorkshire is one of the worst places in the country for abandoning pets, according to the RSPCA.
Figures show nearly 500 pets were abandoned in the South Yorkshire area last year, the 6th highest region, before being rescued by the RSPCA.
In the summer months, one pet is dumped every hour on average nationally.
RSPCA Supt Simon Osborne told Hallam that most pets are abandoned in the summer, with July the worst month:
"In the summer months the number of dumped animals we rescue spikes up in number - with one animals being collected every hour on average."
"Every day our inspectors face cases where animals have been left abandoned in fields, dumped in boxes, left for dead at the side of roads and even left outside animals centres. It is just heart breaking. These poor animals are often just dumped without a care for their welfare or what might happen to them".
The figures for South Yorkshire represent 5% of the national total.
Some of the worst cases in the North include a blind pony left to fend for herself in a remote field and Elsa the young pony who was abandoned with horrific burns to her legs.
Simon added that the task of finding and looking after abandoned animals is a difficult one:
"We will never know why these animals are just discarded like rubbish. It could be for any number of reasons. Whether it is the fact that most pets are abandoned in the summer because the novelty of their Christmas present pet has worn off by the summer, they don't want the responsibility of finding someone to look after their pet while they are away on holiday, or whether more pets are found dumped because of the longer daylight hours, we will never know."
"All we know is that there is a real peak in the number of abandonments in the summer months - July in particular - and it is animal welfare charities like us at the RSPCA that are left to pick up the pieces."
"Many abandoned animals that are rescued by the RSPCA are very badly neglected and poorly, and so need urgent vet care and often hospital treatment".
Simon added that people need to think carefully about a pet's needs before taking one in to their homes:
"When people take on a new pet - whatever that animal may be - they do need to research it, make sure it will suit their lifestyle and that they will be able to provide for it for the entirety of its life - however long that may be."
The RSPCA is a charity who rely on public donations to exist. To assist their inspectors in rescuing abandoned animals and their hospitals in treating them you can visit their website.