Your Pets Daily - pet rehoming

RSPCA campaigns for a change in the law to help the charity rehome neglected and abused animals

Your Pets Daily Editor — Wed, 05 May 2021 06:35:34 +0000

The RSPCA is calling for a new animal welfare law which will give animals involved in legal proceedings in the South West the chance to be rehomed much more quickly.

Currently, some neglected and abused pets which are rescued by the RSPCA as part of an investigation cannot be rehomed until the case itself has completed, which sadly means some animals can wait months and even years before finding their second chance.

As part of its Second Chances campaign, the charity is calling for a change in the law which would mean an animal’s future is no longer dependent on court proceedings. A new animal welfare law allowing the charity to rehome an animal following a two-month appeal process would mean the RSPCA can give those pets the forever home they deserve much more quickly rather than waiting for lengthy court cases to conclude.

In 2019, the RSPCA rehomed over 100 animals a day (39,000) - 7,024 in the South West - and around a quarter of these animals were in our care as a result of an investigation. The charity also spent £4.9m in costs for animals involved in prosecutions in 2019.

Shelley Phillips, Senior Campaigns Manager at the RSPCA, said: “Our animal care staff go to great lengths to make sure all the animals in our rescue centres get the care and attention they need and are treated as if they were their own pets but a rescue centre can never substitute the comfort and security of a permanent home with loving owners.

“We know that spending extended periods of time in kennels and temporary accommodation can impact an animal’s psychological welfare. This is particularly true for puppies which are at a critical stage of their development and we are seeing increasing numbers of puppies coming into our care as part of our investigation work.

“This is why we are urging the Governments in England and Wales to make a change in the law which would allow us to rehome a pet after two-months, similar to what has also been proposed in Scotland with the SSPCA.”

Kirsteen Campbell, chief executive of the Scottish SPCA, said: “The introduction of the Animals & Wildlife (Scotland) Act 2020 will be transformational for animal welfare in Scotland as it allows harsher penalties for those found guilty of the worst types of animal welfare offences, and for the ability to rehome animals seized on welfare grounds after three weeks.

“Seeing the tangible benefits this will bring for animal welfare in Scotland, we fully support the positive changes being championed by the RSPCA, our animal welfare partner doing great work in England and Wales. It would be fantastic to see the UK Government follow the Scottish Government’s lead in freeing up vital resources for the RSPCA at a time when they are needed as much as ever.”

Studies using dogs kennelled for a variety of reasons have shown that many animals find kennel life challenging and dogs can show considerable physiological and behavioural distress. Research has also found that for dogs neither bred nor raised in kennels the transition is especially stressful.

Dr Sam Gaines, dog welfare expert at the RSPCA, said: “Sadly, our welfare teams are frequently required to deal with behavioural problems in dogs due to spending long periods in kennels. Some dogs may show their frustration by barking or whining while others will hide away and despite the best efforts of our animal care staff this can have a long-term impact on their wellbeing. Some may even display repetitive or compulsive behaviours which require medication and behavioural treatment.

“The RSPCA goes to great lengths to provide a stable environment for all the pets in our care and work hard to rehabilitate those dogs who struggle with kennel life but we feel that these issues could often be avoided if the animals were rehomed much more quickly.”

Case study

A 13-year-old dog called Molly (below) was rescued by the RSPCA after she was covered in sores and scabs from a severe skin disease which had left her completely hairless. She came into RSPCA care in March 2020 and following the conclusion of her case, as well as some extensive treatment, she was available to rehome in January 2021 and adopted in Devon shortly afterwards.

Regional rehoming statistics

SOUTH WEST - 2019

County	Dog	Cat	Rabbit	Other
Berkshire	0	98	28	2
Bristol	153	229	24	117
Buckinghamshire	93	835	104	133
Cornwall	54	128	6	26
Devon	104	344	71	155
Dorset	64	244	49	209
Gloucestershire	116	155	5	0
Hampshire	196	419	50	206
Herefordshire	32	32	3	9
Isle of Wight	73	132	40	76
Oxfordshire	13	34	40	0
Somerset	455	976	43	163
Worcestershire	39	373	32	42

The RSPCA is asking animal lovers to take action and let the UK and Welsh Governments know that case animals deserve a happy ending. To support this campaign, visit: https://www.rspca.org.uk/getinvolved/campaign/animalrehoming

RSPCA rescue pets can still find new homes in lockdown

Your Pets Daily Editor — Thu, 29 Apr 2021 17:34:56 +0000

The RSPCA will continue to rehome rescue animals on a delivery basis during the ongoing lockdowns in both England and Wales.

Pets including dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets and other small furry animals will remain available for adoption as RSPCA centres - now closed to the public - switch to a virtual rehoming and delivery process.

The animal welfare charity has 14 national animal centres across England and Wales - while many of its independent branches also have rehoming facilities switching to a remote process during the latest lockdown restrictions.

Prospective adopters can speak to RSPCA staff and meet animals via video conferencing and photo sharing - with pets then delivered by an RSPCA staff member once the level of commitment has been discussed, rehoming agreed, and a suitable pet found. However, the RSPCA continues to urge people to do their research and ensure they understand the long-term commitment of pet adoption; given "lockdown life is not forever".

Animals in the care of the animal welfare charity are often escaping cruelty or neglect - but can continue to find a second chance of forever home happiness during the current lockdown, with the charity utilising a Covid-secure, remote rehoming process.

England went back into a full national lockdown on January 5, while Wales has been under tier 4 national restrictions since December 20. However, abandoned, neglected and mistreated animals continue to come into the care of the RSPCA - so the charity say they are "delighted" to still be able to find homes for pets in a safe, Covid-compliant manner.

RSPCA chief executive Chris Sherwood said: "As the battle against Covid-19 continues, our centres will once again be closed to the public as we all do our bit to stop the spread of this awful disease.

“However, we are delighted that we will continue to be able to find new homes for animals via a safe and Covid-secure remote process.

“Prospective adopters can meet our knowledgeable and friendly centre staff via video call, and discuss whether adding a rescue pet to their household could be the right long-term decision. We know lockdown life is not forever, so it's so important people consider whether they are able to meet the needs of pets for the long term.

“There’s loads to think about - and we’d always urge people to do their research and understand the commitment they’re taking on. But if a new pet is right for both you and the animal - a rescue companion is an amazing, rewarding choice; and we'd urge anyone interested to check out our Find a Pet website to begin the rehoming journey.”

Little-and-large best friends Bridget and Princess are two canine companions at the RSPCA Solent Branch’s Stubbington Ark Animal Shelter, in Hampshire, hoping to find their forever home happiness. Bridget is a tall bull breed cross weighing in at 28kg (approx 4st 6lbs), while her best friend Princess troubles the scales far less - at only 12kg (approx 1st 12lb). However, despite their significant difference in size, they are very close and are looking for a home ideally together. The three-year-old dogs would like a new home without any other pets but could live with older, teenage children. They need plenty of attention and training, but would make wonderful companions and have lots of love to give.

Other pets looking for another chance of forever home happiness include young beagle crossbreed Bella, who is currently based at the RSPCA's Millbrook Animal Centre in Woking. Staff at the centre have had to work very hard with Bella - who was initially very scared, and under-socialised; having already lived in four separate homes by the time she was seven months of age. Bella therefore needs an owner who will patiently build up her trust - and provide plenty of time both to support her impressive agility, and provide her with mental stimulation. Her difficult start to life means RSPCA staff are looking for a very specific home for the one-year-old, and more information is available on the RSPCA's Find a Pet website.

Meanwhile, young cat Soot is a shy black and white cat - who will soon befriend anyone offering him treats! Soot - based at the Newport Animal Centre - came into the RSPCA's care with a number of other cats after his previous owner was unable to meet his needs; so will be hoping lockdown leads to a second chance of forever home happiness. She is one of more than 700 cats in the care of the RSPCA, and it is hoped Soot can kick off the new year with a fresh start in a new home.

Since lockdown started, on March 23, to December 31 the RSPCA’s Find a Pet section of the website had 39,835,657 views compared to 23,681,542 in the same period the previous year. This is a rise of 68 percent. The RSPCA fostering page had 470,933 visits in this period of 2020 - compared to 136,705 during the same period in 2019 - which is a staggering 244 percent increase.

RSPCA officers have remained on the frontline throughout the pandemic - responding to animal welfare emergencies and coming to the aid of rescue animals like these. Meanwhile, RSPCA animal centres have been adjusting to differing Covid-19 restrictions while finding new homes for animals in the charity's care.

Since the first lockdown was announced on March 23 2020, up to January 3 of this year, the charity's dedicated emergency line received 827,596 calls - highlighting that animal welfare problems have not stopped for coronavirus. Prior to Christmas, on 22 December, some 3,308 animals were in the RSPCA's care - including 1,239 at national animal centres.

Dermot Murphy - head of the RSPCA's rescue teams - added: “Our officers, rescue teams, animal centres and frontline staff have shown remarkable resilience during this most testing time.

“We are approaching 900,000 calls since the start of the pandemic - which is a stark reminder that animal cruelty did not stop for coronavirus.

“There’s also thousands of animals in our care - but our teams continue to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome in new ways to help as many animals as possible.

“We cannot do this without the help of our amazing supporters - and anyone wishing to donate to the RSPCA can do so online, while there’s also an abundance of advice on looking after pets during the pandemic on our website which we’re urging people to share.”