Shock rise in dumped pets

Around 25,000 dumped or endangered animals were rescued across the Midlands last year, according to shocking new figures released by the RSPCA.

They saw a 73 per cent rise in numbers of unwanted pets found in the region last year. Nationally it rescued nearly 150,000 wild, exotic, farm and domestic animals.

Fgures show an 80 per cent rise in numbers of horses and ponies rescued, while numbers of farm animals rose by 208 per cent.

Flooding last year was partly blamed for a dramatic increase in larger animals rescued but there have been a number of alarming cases in the region in the last 12 months, including:

* Six six-week-old bull terrier-cross puppies dumped in an a alleyway in a shopping bag in Messenger Road, Smethwick.

* An abandoned Staffordshire bull terrier rescued after being bound to railings in Oldbury, near the entrance to Sandwell Council's staff car park.

* A live rabbit sealed inside a hutch and left out for binmen in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire.

* An unwanted 5ft python dumped on Cannock Chase and discovered by wildlife rangers on patrol.

One owner told an inspector: 'My dog hurts my legs when she wags her tail,' , while another said: 'My cat doesn't match my new carpet.'

The charity said the upward trend could continue. Within the first four months of this year, it has rescued 2,621 animals, including a three-legged cat with no tail dumped outside a supermarket.

Tim Wass, chief officer of the RSPCA inspectorate, said: "Last summer we deployed the biggest number of RSPCA staff for a generation to the rescue of farm animals, horses and other much-loved pets from the severe floods that swept the country.

"Sadly we also noticed a rise in the number of animals callously abandoned."