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RSCPA branch 'drowning' in unwanted pets

RSPCA BingoRSPCA
Bingo was found in the Malvern Hills with a fractured leg

An RSPCA rescue centre in Worcestershire has said it is now receiving daily calls from people wanting give up their pets.

The Holdings in Kempsey said it had also noticed increasing numbers of animals being rescued from the street.

It believes the cost of living crisis could be behind the surge and fears the current situation is just "the tip of the iceberg."

On average, between 20 to 25 cats are rescued a month.

RSPCA OzzyRSPCA
Ozzy, a young male guinea pig who was rescued from a house in Kidderminster after being found living in extremely poor conditions

But in just one day in August, the centre took in nine cats and three rabbits which had been abandoned.

July has been its busiest month of the year so far and the charity said it had spent £7,500 on treating sick and injured animals admitted from across the West Midlands area.

This is 50% more than the centre's average monthly bill.

RSPCA AmeliaRSPCA
Amelia recently gave birth to a litter of kittens and was handed into a vets in Worcester having lost the use of her back legs

Among those rescued was Bingo, who was found with a fractured back leg in the Malvern Hills area and has now been put in a cast for six weeks.

It's not known how long the cat had been struggling with the untreated injury.

Centre volunteer Claire Wood said: "At times we feel like we are drowning and battling to rescue, care and rehome the endless stream of animals we are seeing.

"This, of course, has a knock-on effect on our finances as it costs us money for veterinary treatment to get them on the road to recovery, but we will never give up on any animal that needs our care."

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