The number of dogs and cats rehomed in Sussex last year decreased, according to the RSPCA

RSPCA has launched its annual Adoptober campaign to promote adoption of rescued animals as new national figures reveal more animals are coming into shelters while the rate of rehoming has slowed.

PICTURES: Here are the RSPCA dogs in Sussex that are looking for a new home

The animal welfare charity has released new figures that show rehoming has dropped eight per cent nationally while animal intake is up by a little more than eight per cent year-on-year.

RSPCA said between 2019-2020 rehoming fell by 31 per cent.

The charity fears that the cost of living crisis means more animals are coming into its care while less people are considering taking on a new pet.

In Sussex the total number of animals rehomed increased 12 per cent from 910 in 2020 to 1,017 in 2021, according to the RSPCA.

A spokesperson from the charity said: “The number of dogs rehomed actually fell by 12 per cent from 192 to 169; while the number of cats rehomed also decreased 36 per cent from 420 to 269. But the number of other pets rehomed - including small furries and exotics - more than doubled leaping from 267 to 536; and rabbits jumped 39 per cent from 31 rehomed in 2020 to 43 in 2021.”

Across England and Wales the average stay also increased for dogs by more than nine per cent and for rabbits by more than 12 per cent while cats’ length of stay remained the same at 67 days.

Pet welfare expert Dr Samantha Gaines said: “It’s really concerning to see that animals are staying in our care for longer and that less are being rehomed year-on-year. Unfortunately, we believe we’re really starting to see the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis.

“Many of the animals - particularly dogs - who are coming into our care have behavioural challenges which could be linked to how they were bred as well as lockdown limiting the amount of training, socialising and outside world experience they had.

“We’re also beginning to see more animals coming into our care because their owners simply couldn’t afford to care for them any more; or, in the most extreme cases, having been neglected or abandoned due to the rising cost of pet care.

“Sadly, this is coming at the same time that potential pet owners are deciding now is not the best time to take on an animal due to the soaring cost of living, and feeling they cannot financially commit to adding a pet to their family at such a worrying time.”

Anyone interested in adopting a pet or helping the RSPCA is urged to visit the charity’s website.

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