Reports of animals being abandoned have "sky-rocketed" in Warwickshire this year - with local incidents raised with the RSPCA up by more than 10 per cent in the first ten months of the year, ahead of a potentially "grim" winter for pets.

Up to the end of October, 184 incidents about an animal being abandoned or dumped in Warwickshire had been raised with the charity's emergency line - up from 167 in the first 10 months of 2024.

And with charity rescuers braced for a further surge in reports over the Winter months, the RSPCA has launched an urgent appeal - The Big Give Back to Animals - in the hope of raising vital funds for its frontline officers.

The charity fears for animals across Warwickshire over the Winter season with "plummeting temperatures and dark nights" placing animals at even greater risk from abandonment.

Across England and Wales, 24,270 abandonment incidents have been reported so far this year - a rise of almost 23 percent compared with the same time period last year (19,727).

That means - in the first ten months of this year - an abandonment incident was reported to the RSPCA's emergency line every nine minutes it was open.

There were 44 abandonment incidents last Winter in Warwickshire alone.

RSPCA superintendent Simon Osborne said: "It's been an incredibly challenging year for many pets, and we have seen a dramatic and heartbreaking rise in abandonments this year.

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"And with Winter upon us, with plummeting temperatures and dark nights, we fear things could get even harder in the months to come.

"Sadly, animal abandonment has become so problematic and so tragically widespread, that we've seen more incidents every month this year when compared to 2024; and reports have been rising year after year. 

"There's an epidemic of animal abandonment and neglect, meaning our officers are needed now more than ever to respond to those animals in the most urgent need of help."