The RSPCA has issued a desperate plea for public support this winter, as the charity faces a shocking surge in animal abandonment cases across the UK. This urgent call to action follows the distressing discovery of a seriously ill terrier, callously dumped in a sports bag outside a London animal hospital.
A Dog Left for Dead: The Story of Ruaidhri
In a chilling incident that highlights the growing crisis, a gravely ill dog was abandoned outside the Finsbury Park Animal Hospital in North London. The abandonment occurred at 4:06 am on October 19, 2025. The terrier, left confined in a sports bag, was found by staff who later nicknamed him Ruaidhri. Thanks to their dedicated care and nursing, Ruaidhri was successfully brought back to health.
This single act of cruelty is a stark symbol of a much wider problem. RSPCA rescuers are now preparing for what they fear will be a bleak winter, with plummeting temperatures and dark nights placing countless more animals at severe risk.
The Alarming Statistics of Animal Abandonment
New data from the RSPCA reveals a deeply worrying national trend. Across England and Wales, the charity has received reports of 24,270 abandonment incidents in the first ten months of 2025 alone. This represents a dramatic increase of almost 23% compared to the same period in 2024, which recorded 19,727 incidents.
To put this into perspective, an abandonment incident was reported to the RSPCA’s emergency line every nine minutes it was open. The regional picture is equally concerning:
- Staffordshire: 1,697 incidents reported up to the end of October 2025, up from 1,533 in 2024.
- Outer London: 1,031 incidents reported so far this year.
- Inner London: 666 incidents recorded in the same period.
Last winter, from November to January, 5,902 animals were reported abandoned to the charity, with 127 of those incidents occurring in London. The RSPCA fears this upward trajectory is set to continue, potentially making this year the worst for abandonments in at least six years.
An Urgent Appeal for Help This Winter
In response to this escalating crisis, the RSPCA has launched ‘The Big Give Back to Animals’, an urgent fundraising appeal. The campaign aims to raise vital funds for the charity's frontline officers, who are battling to save animals from neglect and cruelty.
RSPCA superintendent Simon Osborne did not mince his words, stating, “There’s an epidemic of animal abandonment and neglect”. He emphasised that the combination of the ongoing cost of living crisis and the harsh winter conditions means animals need the RSPCA's support to “survive, heal and thrive” now more than ever.
“Times are tough, right now – and animals are paying the price,” Osborne added. “Reports of abandonment are set to reach their highest mark in at least six years, and the worst could be yet to come as we enter a grim Winter period.”
He reminded the public that animals are sentient beings who feel fear and pain, and without intervention, many will die this winter—“scared, suffering, and unloved.” The funds raised will enable the RSPCA to continue its critical work rescuing animals, providing urgent medical care, and finding them loving new homes.
More information on how to support the RSPCA’s ‘Big Give Back to Animals’ appeal can be found on the charity’s official website.
