'Animal welfare emergency' alert as number of pets ditched soars

The number of pets they were encountering who need immediate veterinary care rose by 15%.

That came after they received more than 4,000 calls from people in 2022 wanting to give up their pets - more than three-times the number in 2021.

The charity said it was down to the cost of living crisis, with most callers to its helpline blaming financial issues including vet bills.

They said some people were having to choose between feeding themselves or their pets.

It comes as a study for Citizens Advice Scotland found that 100,000 Scots say that they have had to get rid of family pets because they could not be afforded.

READ MORE: Scots to lose out on £42m in lifeline energy bills crisis help

Concerns have been raised that thousands are having to give up social activities, hobbies and even pets as Scots struggle to make ends meet.

A YouGov survey for Citizens Advice Scotland found that 3% of adult Scots surveyed - equating to an estimated 137,000 Scots - have said that their pets had to be given up in the last financial year because of the rising cost of living.

And some 41% of people had stopped some level of social activity like eating out over the last financial year, while 23% had given up some sort of hobby.

And some 36% of people in Scotland said they could not afford a holiday.

An early study in January for CAS found that an estimated 220,000 adults in Scotland are cutting back on care for their pets because of rising energy bills.

Their survey found that 10% are cutting back on things like dog grooming and vet visits because of rising bills.

A Scottish SPCA spokesperson said: “The reality is that there’s an animal welfare emergency in Scotland. There’s no good time for a cost-of-living crisis, but coming so soon after the pandemic, when pet ownership went through the roof, is the worst possible timing. Now there are more pets than ever before, and more people who are struggling to look after them.

“The number of people calling our animal helpline to give up their pet has been on the rise since 2021, with many owners struggling to pay for vet treatment or the basics every animal needs.

“The worst case scenario is that people have to up their pet. But we’re doing more to intervene early and avoid this wherever possible. Our Pet Aid programme works with 48 food banks across Scotland to provide essential supplies, and our inspectors are assisting thousands of pets and people in their own homes to keep them together."

Recent survey work the animal charity carried out with the RSPCA and the Animal Kindness Index, showed that 88% of pet owners in Scotland feel it has become more expensive to care for their animal.

The report showed it’s a greater challenge to meet costs for 18-24 year olds, with 53% doing things like cutting down on pet food, changing to a cheaper brand, avoiding vet visits or cancelling insurance to help reduce costs. This compares to just 28% of people aged over 55.

CAS chief executive Derek Mitchell said: “The cost of living crisis has seen a huge surge in people seeking our advice on financial problems. Of course the most severe cases are those where people can’t afford food, energy and rent/mortgage. Those of course are the absolute priority issues.

“But we also see many people who are just able to avoid this extreme poverty but only by giving up things like hobbies and socialising - things which are perhaps not essential to life but certainly make it more enjoyable. So we commissioned this research to see how widespread a problem this ‘fun deficit’ is.

“I’m particularly moved by the people who have given up the family pet. That must be an absolutely heart-breaking decision - especially for families with children. And it isn’t a trivial issue: for many people their dog or cat is their only companion and a source of comfort against loneliness. That’s especially the case for older or isolated people."

Mr Mitchell added: “The results are not only sad to see but also worrying in terms of the impact this has on peoples’ quality of life and therefore their mental health. To give up hobbies and eating out with friends obviously takes a lot of the pleasure out of life, just at the time (post lockdown) that people have needed it.

“A further consequence of these trends is the impact on businesses and the local economy. Giving up your gym membership hurts them in the pocket as well as you in terms of your health. And pubs and restaurants will certainly have noticed the drop in their business too if two fifths of us are spending less time and money there. “In highlighting these trends we want to show both governments and others that the cost of living crisis is having a hugely detrimental impact on people, not just in terms of the absolute essentials but also in the things that help make life worth living."

“It just underlines the fact that every effort should be made to alleviate this crisis and let people get back to living a life that’s not just secure but also includes a reasonable amount of fun.”