Animal rescues on the rise in England as food and vet bills soar, say charities

Firefighters report rise in callouts as RSPCA says some who got pets during Covid have realised it costs a lot more money than they want it to'

Firefighter callouts for animal rescue have risen by more than a quarter in five years, figures show, as charities warn of a new wave of abandonment linked to the soaring costs of food and vet bills.

The RSPCA received a record 22,503 abandonment reports last year, as the cost of vets and pet food surged dramatically. Figures from the Office for National Statistics show vet costs last month were almost 50% higher than they were in 2020, and the average can of dog food went up in price from 60p to 1.03 over the same time period.