The RSPCA has launched an appeal for foster carers as its rehoming centres have reached full capacity and nearly 700 rescued animals are still waiting for a space.
The animal welfare charity has 14 national rehoming centres across England and Wales, with a further 45 centres run by RSPCA branches. All 59 facilities are described as being “full to bursting”, with capacity problems exacerbated by an increase in calls to the RSPCA post-pandemic, a slowdown in rehoming, and a surge in the number of animals coming into the charity’s care due to cost of living pressures.
In total, 691 animals are currently being boarded in temporary care – including 120 dogs, 144 cats, 112 rabbits, eight small animals, 38 exotic birds, 35 birds, 132 equines and 102 farm animals – and the charity estimates it is spending £26,000 a week on private boarders. Animals in private boarding are waiting for spaces at RSPCA centres in all parts of England and Wales, with the longest waiting lists found in in Durham/Cleveland (120), Mid Wales (91), Cumbria (53), West Yorkshire (41) and Essex/Suffolk (40).
In response, the RSPCA has launched an urgent new drive to recruit more fosterers – who care for animals temporarily in their own home – to help ease the pressure.
Brian Reeves, head of volunteering at the RSPCA, said: “We are struggling. Our centres are full to bursting at the moment which means we’re having to use vital charity funds to pay for animals to be cared for with private boarders, and have a long waiting list of animals waiting to come into our centres where they can start their search for a new home.
“We are in the middle of an animal crisis and we can only see it getting worse over the winter months as the cost of living crisis bites. It’s absolutely vital that we free up as much space in RSPCA centres now, so we’ve got room for animal victims of neglect and cruelty we rescued in the coming weeks and months – and more fosterers is going to be crucial in achieving that.”
He added: “As more animals come into our care, stay for longer with us, and less people are adopting, we’re in a really worrying situation.
“It’s a real space race at the moment. with no room at so many of our jam-packed centres. Fortunately, we have 350 incredible fosterers already, and we are so grateful to them all, but we urgently need more. These fosterers welcome rescue animals in their own homes on a temporary basis, fully supported by the RSPCA, and are invaluable to us.”
