Abandoned Dogs Increase as Pet Owners Struggle from Rising Cost of Living in the UK

Pet abandonment is prevalent worldwide and its causes range from various factors, such as personal and financial reasons.

In the UK, the number of abandoned dogs has increased since the year started, as pet owners claimed they are no longer capable of taking care of their pets due to the rising cost of living.

Desperate Situation

The UK-based group Hope Rescue Centre said it has seen its busiest four months since January after it has accommodated approximately 300 dogs, which is nearly double even on pre-pandemic levels, according to the group's head of welfare and adoption Sara Rosser, as cited by the BBC.

During a program on the UK media outlet's Radio Wales Breakfast, Rosser told that they are still seeing a large number of dogs being "intentionally abandoned" and they are arriving at the organization as strays, while some owners are bringing their pets as they were in a desperate situation.

Vet and Utility Bills

Over recent months, the charity is receiving between 20 and 30 calls per day, as pet owners are claiming that their "financial circumstances" have changed.

Furthermore, Rosser said a number of people who are facing financial problems are unable to afford vet bills, as per the BBC.

Rosser also highlighted that vet bills have an average price between £25,000 and £30,000 per month.

As a result, pet owners are reportedly no longer able to provide care to their pets and consider abandoning their pets or sending them to an animal shelter as the only viable option.

Furthermore, the charity head also said utility bills have increased since last year; wherein as of April 2022, the monthly average is £4,000 but is expected to increase by 30% due to the surge of incoming abandoned pets.

With this, the group is anticipating around £60,000 in utilities by the end of 2022.

Hope Rescue Centre is currently located in Llanharan, Wales, since 2017.

It was established in 2005 and served as a rescue service and foster home for unwanted, stray, and abandoned dogs. The group approximately 800 dogs per year and consists of several rescue kennels across the territory.

Pet Abandonment Cases

The number of abandoned dogs is just a fragment of the holistic pet abandonment cases across the UK.

According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), approximately 1 million calls from the public come into their organization every 30 seconds in 2020.

The largest number of related pet abandonment incidents were related to dogs and cats.

Meanwhile, the RSPCA claims that it also receive 57,000 complaints of animal cruelty in the said year.

Economic Crisis

Although there is no concrete correlation on whether other related cases outside Hope Rescue Centre are connected with the rising cost of living, such economic crises have occurred before and after the Brexit in January 2020, when the UK withdrew from the European Union (EU).

The Guardian reported that inflation and price hike in diesel, petrol, and gas are some of the economic factors that affected households across the UK.

The elevated tax and stagnant wages have been also reported as contributing elements to the rising cost of living.