RSPCA rehomes more than 17,000 animals in Sussex in last decade

The animal rescue charity said hundreds of thousands of animals had been helped nationwide since it formed in 1824.

The Horsham-based charity, which marks its 200th anniversary this year, said that nationally it has rehomed more than 400,000 animals over the past ten years.

But Dermot Murphy, inspectorate commissioner for the RSPCA, said: “We have even more animals in need of help coming into our care - but at the same time rehoming has been declining sharply, meaning thousands fewer rescue pets are being adopted and our branches and centres are full to bursting.

“We are also faced with increased bills and less donations due to the cost of living crisis which is one of the biggest challenges facing animal welfare right now - and this economic hardship is continuing into our 200th anniversary year.

“But we are determined to rise to the challenge and help animals and pet owners who need us more than ever.

“Animals are now facing bigger challenges than ever as a result of factory farming, climate change, war and a cost-of-living crisis.

Vets in an RSPCA hospital (Image: RSPCA)

“In our 200th year we want to inspire one million people to join our movement to improve animals' lives.

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“We’ve been changing industries, laws, minds and animals' lives for 200 years. Together, there are actions, big and small, we can take to create a better world for every animal.”

According to the charity 17,539 animals had been rehomed in Sussex from 2013 to the end of 2022.

Alongside this more than 13,000 animals had been neutered by the RSPCA and more than 6,000 microchips given to pets.

Nationally 615,000 animals have been patients at RSPCA hospitals and 1.7 million vet treatments have been carried out by the charity.

The RSPCA is in Chart Way, Horsham, having formed in London in the 19th century.

The charity was the first of its kind in the world and inspired the creation of other Societies for the Protection and Care of Animals (SPCA) in America, Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong.