RSPCA reports rise in discovery of unwanted animals

Following a sharp increase in abandoned pets taken into its care, the RSPCA has released a list of the most unusual places that animals have been abandoned since May this year.

The list includes a dog dumped in a duffel bag, young rabbits in a plant pot inside a carrier bag and a terrapin left in a bucket in a children's playground.

RSPCA says the list is a "startling" reminder that animals are viewed as commodities by some people, who are willing to discard them without a moment's thought.

Over the past year, the charity reported that it received a call for help every 30 seconds and was called out to rescue more than 37,000 abandoned animals.

"The shocking fact is that, even in a nation of animal lovers, there are thousands of people out there who don't care about their pets at all. In fact, some literally treat them like rubbish," said Ben Strangwood, deputy chief inspector at the RSPCA.

"Its bad enough when we find a box of kittens wrapped in blankets on our doorstep with a note, but now people are deliberately dumping their animals in out of the way places – like bins, skips or on waste ground – leaving them to die."

The charity said it always sees a rise in abandoned animals during the height of summer for various reasons.

It is therefore urging members of the public to be vigilant for discarded animals in unusual places, such as in boxes, bins and bags, and to alert the RSPCA as soon as possible if an animal is found.