Home
News
In Focus
Business
Metro
Nation
World
Sports
Feature
Opinion
View more »Opinion Columns
Wan LixinOpinion deputy editor of Shanghai Daily
Restaurants get off to a quick start thanks to game-changing policies
High service charges on event ticket refunds call for further regulation
Sunday
- Subscribe
Related News
Britons dump their pets as credit crunch bites
Source: Agencies |
April 27, 2009, Monday
|
Online Edition
Online Edition
BRITONS may have a reputation as animal-lovers but they are increasingly dumping their pets as they struggle to cope with the impact of economic downturn.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) said the number of abandoned animals soared 57 percent last year to 11,586 -- the equivalent of more than 30 a day.
The number of abandoned cats was up by 50 percent and a third more dogs were discarded, the charity said. Horses, farm animals and exotic pets were also being chucked out.
In addition to the actual numbers being thrown out, there had also been a 52 percent rise in inquiries from the public looking to give up their pets.
Tim Wass, chief officer of the RSPCA inspectorate, said the cause was "everything to do with the economics about owning a pet" from paying for food to veterinary bills.
"It's a huge rise and I'm afraid that we can only point to economics to find a solution to the current problem," he told BBC radio.
"It's affecting pretty much every animal. We're really struggling to cope at the moment."
Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, Britain's best-known animal refuge centre, located in south London, said in December it was at bursting point after taking in more than a thousand more strays than it had done a year earlier.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) said the number of abandoned animals soared 57 percent last year to 11,586 -- the equivalent of more than 30 a day.
The number of abandoned cats was up by 50 percent and a third more dogs were discarded, the charity said. Horses, farm animals and exotic pets were also being chucked out.
In addition to the actual numbers being thrown out, there had also been a 52 percent rise in inquiries from the public looking to give up their pets.
Tim Wass, chief officer of the RSPCA inspectorate, said the cause was "everything to do with the economics about owning a pet" from paying for food to veterinary bills.
"It's a huge rise and I'm afraid that we can only point to economics to find a solution to the current problem," he told BBC radio.
"It's affecting pretty much every animal. We're really struggling to cope at the moment."
Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, Britain's best-known animal refuge centre, located in south London, said in December it was at bursting point after taking in more than a thousand more strays than it had done a year earlier.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
