RSPCA set for busy festive season

The RSPCA is bracing itself to take more than 2,000 calls a day over the festive season as it launches its winter appeal.
The RSPCA is appealing for help this winter SUS-171125-110916001The RSPCA is appealing for help this winter SUS-171125-110916001
The RSPCA is appealing for help this winter SUS-171125-110916001

Last year 13,265 incidents were reported to the RSPCA in the South East between December and January, with 366 of those happening across Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

New figures from the animal welfare charity show that during the same period (Dec 2016/Jan 2017), the charity received 118,799 calls nationwide - 1,916 calls a day.

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From poorly, unwanted pets callously dumped on the streets to animals and wildlife deliberately cruelly treated, RSPCA inspectors are preparing to see heartbreaking cruelty and neglect this festive season.

The animal welfare charity expects to take in around 19,000 animals in need this December and January and is calling for your help to care for them.

RSPCA superintendent Simon Osborne said: “It’s a sad fact that every day at work throughout the year can be tough for our inspectors and animal welfare and collection officers, but winter really does come with its own challenges and issues. In fact, we expect to take in somewhere in the region of 19,000 animals this winter alone.

“During the festive season alone last year, we rescued over 25,000 animals, many of whom had been cruelly abandoned, injured or abused. But we also saw so many acts of kindness by animal lovers, from the passer-by who rescued a shivering and sick puppy days before Christmas, to those who reported suffering animals to our cruelty hotline or volunteers caring for animals in our centres and branches. We are asking animal lovers across the country to show kindness this Christmas by supporting our winter appeal.”

For more information, please visit www.rspca.org.uk/winterappeal.

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