THE SSPCA has reported a “significant surge” in pet owners looking to give up their animals due to the cost-of-living crisis.
The Scottish charity dedicated to promoting animal welfare stated yesterday that they have seen a 24% increase in calls enquiring about giving up a pet in 2024.
They believe this is often due to the financial pressures involved with looking after an animal, which have been made worse by the current economic climate.
The charity is therefore looking to expand its grassroots network so that pet owners can be offered support such as pet food banks and community veterinary services.
The SSPCA states that last year, 4,779 people contacted them for advice on giving up their pet – an average of 92 people a week.
As well as this, the figures show that costs have risen by 44% in the last three years, meaning that £25m a year is needed for the SSPCA to continue delivering its essential services across the country.
The charity, which is funded entirely by donations with no government funding, is now piloting a service called Pet Aid Veterinary in Glasgow which offers community support and treatment, as well as home visits for basic healthcare assessments.
The service was launched six months ago and has since provided much-needed care to 489 animals in the area.
The project is being trialled In Glasgow and is expected to soon expand into Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway.
Despite the rise in pet owners considering giving up their furry friends, figures also show that there was a 13% increase in adoption and fostering last year, with animals spending 30% less time in SSPCA care.
Scottish SPCA chief executive Kirsteen Campbell said: “It’s never been more clear that across Scotland there’s a desperate need to tackle the root causes of animal welfare issues and get help into communities before issues start to spiral.
“Our inspectors and animal rescue officers do an incredible job on the frontline but too often they are seeing complex and sad situations where earlier help could have prevented an animal needing to come into our care.
“That’s why in 2025 we’re boosting our efforts to help people in communities across Scotland, changing the way we work and making sure our services are being directed to where they’re most needed so that we can help as many animals and people as possible to stay together.”