Inflation and pet abandonment led to an increase in the number of stray animals
Inflation and high interest rates across the UK, coupled with pet abandonment during the Covid-19 pandemic, have led to an increase in the number of abandoned animals and have stretched the Bristol Animal Rescue Centre (ARC) to the limit. teleSUR
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00:00 Inflation and high interest rates across the UK coupled with federal abandonment during the COVID-19 pandemic
00:06 have led to an increase in the number of abandoned animals and have stretched the Bristol Animal Rescue Centre to the limit.
00:13 As a result, the privately funded org has had to come up with creative ways to raise funds. Let's see.
00:21 The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has said it is desperately concerned about soaring animal abandonments as winter approaches.
00:32 Up until the end of October, the RSPCA in England and Wales have received more than 17,000 reports of abandoned animals.
00:44 If the trend continues, it is said it is expected to see around more than 21,000 reports in 2023 compared to the 16,118 reports in 2020.
01:01 I definitely think the cost of living crisis we're experiencing at the moment is a big factor.
01:06 People just can't afford insurance and veterinary care and just to look after their dogs in general.
01:11 A lot of the dogs we get in come in as strays as well, so they're picked up by the dog warden or the police,
01:18 which obviously gives us sort of limited background or knowledge as to why they were abandoned in the first place.
01:24 But I think a big factor at the moment is people actually being able to afford or to live in a place that they're allowed to keep a dog, which is really sad.
01:32 Inflation and high interest rates across the UK, plus people abandoning the pets they bought during the COVID-19 pandemic,
01:41 has led to an increase in abandoned animals, while many rescue centres are full to bursting as they face an unprecedented winter crisis.
01:52 At the moment we are just taking in strays because we're experiencing such a high level of dogs coming in.
01:58 We physically can't accommodate for the strays and for people kind of signing their dogs over.
02:03 So at the moment it is animals just coming in that have been, as I said, picked up as strays.
02:09 The Bristol Animal Rescue Centre has had to come out with creative ways to bring in money.
02:16 One of the ideas conceived by the staff at the centre was to hold an online mute gala in December,
02:23 an event inspired by Vogue magazine's Met Gala in New York, where animals art would be auctioned.
02:31 Armed only with their snouts, paws and natural disregard for the rules of composition,
02:38 Rossy, Alba and a pack of strays currently boarding at the centre have been more than willing to help.
02:47 We basically get a canvas, a blank canvas or something similar to that, put some non-toxic paint on the canvas,
02:55 cling film on top of that and then we put their favourite treats.
02:59 So for the dogs here it's usually squeezy cheese or peanut butter or something like that.
03:04 And then the dogs will go over, lick it, play with it. Sometimes some of our dogs like to walk on it
03:09 and kind of use their whole bodies to use it and it's a really good enrichment activity for them.
03:15 Rossy and Alba are hard at work at their canvases, redefining the essence of abstract art one tile work at a time.
03:26 To the untrained eyes, their work at the Bristol Animal Rescue Centre might seem boisterous, childish at a time
03:34 and even just plain messy. But the two canines have a much more important job than pleasing the critics.
03:43 Oh, Rossy and Alba, yeah, they're pretty good. They might be in the tape one day but maybe not.
03:49 We've just done some really nice artwork with them. I'm very proud of them and I'll hang it up on my wall definitely.
03:55 What's this? Wow!