Dog and cat abandonment soars in UK as owners struggle with cost of living

RSPCA says pet abandonments in England and Wales rose by almost 25% in 2025 compared with 2024

There is an “epidemic” of dogs, cats and other pets being abandoned as owners struggle to cope with the cost of living crisis, the UK’s largest animal welfare charity has said.

The RSPCA said abandonments in England and Wales had risen by almost 25% in 2025 compared with last year, reaching their highest rate for at least five years.

Animal charities in Scotland and Northern Ireland have also witnessed a rise in abandonments, and organisations across the UK are worried there could be a further increase this winter.

The RSPCA’s superintendent, Simon Osborne, said: “We have seen a dramatic and heartbreaking rise in abandonments this year. With winter upon us, with plummeting temperatures and dark nights, we fear things could get even harder. There’s an epidemic of animal abandonment and neglect.”