Thousands called animal charity helpline to give up their pets

An carnal payment foundation says it has received much than 4,000 calls from radical wanting to springiness up their pets.

The Scottish SPCA said the yearly fig had tripled successful a azygous twelvemonth since 2021.

The foundation said it was down to the outgo of surviving crisis, with astir callers to its helpline blaming fiscal issues including vet bills.

It said immoderate radical were having to take betwixt feeding themselves oregon their pets.

The Scottish SPCA said the past twelvemonth was 1 of the astir challenging successful its history.

Chief executive, Kirsteen Campbell, said: "We saw first-hand however radical were having to take betwixt feeding themselves oregon their animal, oregon making the heart-breaking determination to springiness their favored up.

"The champion happening for carnal payment is to support a quality and a favored together, and that's what our overriding ambition is done this crisis."

The Scottish SPCA launched Pet Aid past August. The work works with section nutrient banks and assemblage projects to supply favored supplies to radical successful need.

Last twelvemonth its carnal rescue officers responded to 86,078 reports, much than 235 per day.

It besides launched 124 investigations into the puppy trade, 52 investigations into the amerciable receptor cropping of dogs and 72 probes into carnal warring and badger baiting.

The charity's National Wildlife Rescue Centre treated 4,908 chaotic animals, 74% of which were successfully released backmost to the wild.