RSPCA reveal "heartbreaking" figures as pet neglect reports in Essex rise
They are urging the public to help
The RSPCA have revealed "heartbreaking" stats showing a 26% rise in pet neglect reports in Essex.
The charity says a "worrying winter" could be on the way for animals in the county.
They have launched an urgent appeal, the "Big Give Back to Animals", calling on people to raise funds for the charity's rescuers, with rising demand levels.
In Essex alone, the charity has received 1,750 reports about neglected animals in the first 10 months of this year - a "heartbreaking" 26% rise compared to 1,390 in the same period last year.
In total in 2024 there were 1,648 reports about neglected animals in Essex made to the RSPCA.
Nicola Walker, from the charity, said:
"When we talk about neglect, that can cover a whole sort of array of things, but it's fundamentally where maybe an animal's not being fed properly, it's not being cared for, it's not getting the medical treatment it needs. And we see it across the board.
"And it's just heartbreaking really, to think that these animals are suffering in silence behind closed doors."
She told us however that pets still want to trust people, even after neglect:
"The one thing that the officers always say is that when they remove them, despite everything that animal's been through, it still trusts, and still wants that attention, and there'll still be this glimmer of a tail wag from a dog, even though they're in those sort of desperate situations."
She said the levels of reports were "shocking" and "overwhelming".
"For our officers that are on the ground, it feels just relentless that there doesn't seem to be any sort of let up in the number of situations they're having to deal with at the moment."