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RSPCA set for a surge in abandoned animals
Calls to the RSPCA about abandoned animals spiked by almost 50 per cent from June to August last year.
Figures show summer 2017 saw a huge spike in callouts

The RSPCA is preparing itself for a surge in abandoned animals as new figures show summer 2017 was an incredibly busy time for the animal charity.

According to the figures, calls to the RSPCA about abandoned animals spiked by almost 50 per cent from June to August last year, compared to the colder months.

The figures also show the number of abandoned animals taken in by the RSPCA peaked in June 2017, with 850 dumped animals rescued.

Summer is the peak season for the RSPCA and the warmer months of 2017 saw more than 10,000 calls to its 24-hour emergency hotline - that’s one every 12 minutes. The calls involved cats tied up in bags, horses abandoned at the roadside and dogs dumped out with the rubbish.

“With the number of calls rising and an increase in the number of animals collected, we are facing another welfare crisis this year as we head into the summer months,” explained RSPCA assistant director of inspectorate Dermot Murphy.

“Last summer our team of inspectors and officers investigated more complaints of abandoned animals than they had done for two years which shows a worrying trend that things might be getting worse.

“We try to help as many animals as we can but we have just 332 inspectors which means one inspector for every 162,000 people so we have to prioritise the animals who are suffering most.”

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
New guidance for antibiotic use in rabbits

New best practice guidance on the responsible use of antibiotics in rabbits has been published by the BSAVA in collaboration with the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWA&F).

The guidance is free and has been produced to help veterinary practitioners select the most appropriate antibiotic for rabbits. It covers active substance, dose and route of administration all of which are crucial factors when treating rabbits owing to the risk of enterotoxaemia.

For more information and to access the guide, visit the BSAVALibrary.