Animal abandonment 'tragically' rises in Wales
Up to the end of October, 1,396 incidents about an animal being abandoned or dumped had been raised with RSPCA's emergency line in Wales
Up to the end of October, 1,396 incidents about an animal being abandoned or dumped had been raised with the charity's emergency line in Wales - up from 1,241 in the first 10 months of 2024.
The top five counties with the most abandonment incidents so far this year (Jan-Oct) are Rhondda Cynon Taf (181) Swansea (121), Cardiff (105), Caerphilly (88) and Carmarthenshire (83).
Meanwhile, the five counties who have seen the biggest increase in abandonment incidents between 2024 and 2025 are Blaenau Gwent (74% increase), Merthyr Tydfil (55% increase) Bridgend (52% increase), Gwynedd (47% increase) and Rhondda Cynon Taf (22% increase).
Last Winter (Nov-Jan), 5,902 incidents of animal abandonment were raised with the charity across England and Wales - and there are fears the upward trend of cases is set to continue in the coming months. There were 333 abandonment incidents last Winter in Wales alone.
And with charity rescuers braced for a further surge in reports over the Winter months, the RSPCA has launched an urgent appeal - The Big Give Back to Animals - in the hope of raising vital funds for its frontline officers.
The charity fears for animals across England and Wales over the Winter season with "plummeting temperatures and dark nights" placing animals at even greater risk from abandonment.
The situation has become “so tragically widespread” that reports of animals being dumped have increased in nine out of ten months this year when compared to 2024.
Reports of animal abandonment had already reached their highest point in at least five years - and issues like the ongoing cost of living crisis mean animals need the RSPCA's support to "survive, heal and thrive" now more than ever.