One hundred cases of pets being abandoned in the area have been reported by the RSPCA Cymru.
The charity said the cases were all in Powys and issued a warning of a summer abandonment crisis with a 64% increase in the number of reports about dumped animals.
The oldest and biggest animal welfare charity in England and Wales is expecting to see a huge rise in calls about abandoned pets, often dumped in boxes, thrown in bins or left on the side of roads.
Last summer (June, July and August) in Wales, there were 1,498 calls about abandoned animals reported to the RSPCA in Wales, with a shameful 100 coming from our county.
This compares to 2018’s winter where there were 911 calls (Dec, Jan and Feb).
RSPCA Cymru superintendent, Martyn Hubbard said: “Sadly, we see a dramatic increase in the number of animals abandoned in the summer. From unwanted newborn kittens and puppies dumped in boxes and bins, exotic pets cast aside or horses abandoned in someone else’s field, dumped like rubbish.
“There is never an excuse to abandon an animal in this way and we would urge anyone who is struggling to cope with their pets to contact us or other charities for help. Our pets are sentient beings and great companions who rely on us for their health and happiness so dumping them like an old mobile phone or a piece of rubbish should never be the answer.
“The peak in animals being abandoned in the summer puts a massive strain on our inspectors, animal centres and branches who are left picking up the pieces when an animal is dumped.”
It is not clear why the figures rise so dramatically in the warmer months but it may be that abandoned animals are more visible when people are out and about, that people feel less guilty about leaving them alone when the weather is warmer or even that some people dump their pets when they go away on holiday and have nowhere for them to go.
It costs the RSPCA nearly £30,000 to run an animal centre, providing vet care, food, toys and comfort to needy animals, every month. To help the RSPCA continue to rescue animals visit www.rspca.org.uk/summercrisis
What people can do if they’re struggling to care for their pets:
· Ask friends and family for help
· If you're going on holiday and there is no one around to care for your pets, try using a pet sitting service like Rover. Pet owners can search for and book trusted sitters in their local area, plus for every new customer booking, the RSPCA receives £1 to help more animals.
· Contact your vet about payment plans, discounts or vouchers for neutering or any other treatment needed.
· Get in touch with local rehoming charities for advice.
· Visit the RSPCA website for advice on welfare
