RSPCA "really concerned" with 16% rise in animal abandonment in Essex
605 animals have been abandoned in the county so far this year
The RPSCA say they are "really concerned" with reports of animals being abandoned "skyrocketing".
Local incidents raised with the charity have increased by 16%, with 605 animals being reported to the charity's emergency line.
The charity has launched their urgent appeal - The Big Give Back to Animals, hoping to raise "vital" funds for their frontline officers.
The RSPCA is warning of a "grim" winter for the county, and say that the abandonment statistics are "absolutely heart-breaking."
Chris O'Brien, National Media Manager for the RSPCA, said:
"We're really concerned about the latest figures from Essex showing that in the first ten months of the year, the number of animal abandonments being reported to us have skyrocketed.
"We've seen a 16% year on year rise when you compare 2025 and 2024.
"It is a huge increase, and it's a real concern, and it is a pattern that we've not only seen in Essex, but in many other parts of the country.
"It's difficult not to conclude the cost of living is having a real impact.
"Unfortunately, in extreme cases, people are taking these awful and often illegal measures of just dumping an animal. Our message is that's never the answer.
"We are really concerned about winter. We saw nearly 6000 reports of an animal being abandoned across England and Wales last winter.
"It is true that there is a real problem in Essex, as a 16% rise is really significant, and it is one of those areas in the country where there has been a real concern with the data."
In Harlow, two tortoises were found dumped in a woodland, one in a shoebox, one in a plastic bag. Chris said this was "absolutely heart-breaking" to see.
"They are one of the case studies that we're really highlighting, to show the impact of animal abandonment.
"It is just really upsetting to think that these two tortoises, these sentient beings were potentially being dumped like rubbish.
"Tortoises can look tough, but they are totally reliant on their owners to meet their complex needs."
"I think it is important to remember that the vast majority of people right across Essex will share our concern with these stats, and we know that there are amazing animal and pet owners across Essex who are doing the right thing, but we need to spread that message.
"There is support, there is resources out there for pet owners that need help, and that is what really needs to change because these figures are just unfortunately far too high.
"We are really grateful to people across Essex that do show us support.
"We really do need people across Essex to keep rallying around animals and supporting us through the Big Give Back to Animals as we hear about these worrying abandonment figures."