24 September 2023 , 18:46
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A cat was discovered abandoned with her five-week-old kitten alongside a gut-wrenching handwrittennote.
The two sweet pets were found left in their cat carrier on a road in Derby with the handwritten letter reading, "please help me", the RSPCA has revealed. While the reasons for them being abandoned are unknown, the charity suspects the two may be victims of the cost of living crisis which has seen soaring numbers of pets being left on roadsides.
Both the mother cat and her kitten were found by a member of the public on Sunday last weekend, accompanied by the heartbreaking handwritten note, and have now been taken into a local shelter. It comes as the RSPCA reported an 11% surge in reports of animals being abandoned since the start of the year.
Increased numbers of both dogs and cats are being discovered, as well as other pets such as rabbits, the charity says. It's thought many who took on new pets during the pandemic are suddenly finding themselves unable to meet the costs as bills surge.
A gutwrenching note was found alongside the cats (RSPCA)
The poor pair were discovered inside this carrier (RSPCA)RSPCA inspector Ann Bennett said of the abandoned cats in Derby: “They were dumped in an area where they could be seen and with a handwritten note, so whoever did this wanted them to be found. Thankfully the cats are in good health, however it is sad that somebody felt they couldn’t look after them and so abandoned them like this.
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“We know times are tough during the cost of living crisis, but there is help out there for anyone who is worried about looking after their pets - abandoning them isn’t the answer as they could come into the wrong hands.”
In the first seven months of 2023 alone, the RSPCA saw 11,782 of animals being abandoned. Sadly the charity has seen a drop in the number of people able to adopt pets, too, leaving some shelters struggling to cope.
Last year, The Mirror revealed how abandonment reports were up by 24% from 2021, with one pet dumped every 15 minutes. One officer told of a disturbing upward trend of welfare callouts, too.
“We understand the financial difficulties some people are experiencing right now, however abandoning your pet, or not seeking appropriate veterinary help if it’s needed, is never acceptable,” Ann added. “There is help and support available and we would urge people to contact their vets, local rescues and animal welfare charities.”