Nine-month-old cat Parker was found abandoned in a cat carrier with a note from his previous owners saying they couldn’t afford vet treatment – and he is not alone.

From kittens abandoned on a doorstep to a rabbit left in a shopping centre, pets are becoming the latest victims of the cost of living crisis, a charity has warned.

A perfect storm of rising interest rates, surging energy bills and inflation impacting the cost of all household goods has left some owners unable to feed their animals.

Horses are particularly at risk, due to the expensive cost of keeping and maintaining the animals.

Research from animal charity Blue Cross, of 1,000 pet owners, found half are worried about how they are going to afford their vet bills.

And this isn’t the only concern, with one in 10 people struggling to feed their pets, according to Blue Cross.

“We know people are going without food to feed their pet,” said the charity’s chief executive Chris Burghes.

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“A year or so ago, we rarely had animals abandoned on our doorsteps. But just last week we had eight kittens left outside one of our centres.”

At the same time, Florence the rabbit was found abandoned in a box in a retail park in south London, with half an ear missing.

Horses most at risk

So far this year, Blue Cross has received 144 requests from people asking the charity to take in, or help rehome their horse or pony. Of these, more than 70% cited personal or financial circumstances as the reasons.

By comparison, in 2021 just 43 (around 15%) of a total of 277 rehoming requests specified financial reasons.

In 2020, just 32 (nearly 14%) out of 231 requests stated financial reasons.

In August, the Dogs Trust said it had received 15,000 calls this year from owners asking about the process of giving up their pets – up 54% from the previous year.

Meanwhile, in April Birmingham Dogs Home said it had taken 53% more animals than last year.

Owners cancelling pet insurance – as vet bills rise

Blue Cross opened its first pet foodbank in 2020, with two more opening to support owners during the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, it has been forced to scale up this operation drastically in the last year, and now has 27 pet foodbanks across the UK – and it is not stopping there.

The war in Ukraine has caused the price of pet food – and in particular horse feed – to grow exponentially.

Veterinary charity the PDSA estimates the cost of keeping a dog at between £50-£80 a month. But this adds up to £25,000-£30,000 over the course of the dog’s lifetime, including upfront costs like a bed and lead, extra items including toys and poo bags, as well as pet insurance.

Blue Cross said some people have been cancelling their pet insurance at a time when the average vet bill has also risen by 12%.

As ownership boomed during COVID – with three million new pet owners in the UK – the number of vet professionals dropped and some people are simply unable to register their new animals with a local practice.

Between January and August, 36,500 pets have been seen by the charity – by October this is expected to total more than 40,000.

‘Sometimes they are the only family’

Blue Cross also operates a pet bereavement support service, with trained volunteers available to speak to anyone experiencing loss – whether through the death of a pet or because they have been forced to rehome them.

Figures for calls, emails, and web chats received are all up this year.

“We can help. The first thing to do is give us a call,” said Mr Burghes.

“Our passion is that we keep the pets and the families together. Anything we can do to help with that, we want to do.

“No one really wants to give up their pet.

“They are part of the family – and in some cases, they are the only family.”

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