RSPCA in pet adoption plea as number of multi-animal rescue incidents doubles in South Yorkshire

The charity is making the adoption plea in a bid to help free-up space in their overwhelmed centres.

A RSPCA spokesperson said rising cruelty and neglect has led to a six-year high of animals in RSPCA care, with almost half in emergency boarding because centres are full.

Last year the charity responded to 4,200 incidents which involved at least 10 animals at the same address across England and Wales - including 471 across Yorkshire.

In South Yorkshire, the RSPCA carried out a total of 141 multi-animal resues - involving 10 or more animals - during the course of 2025.

The figures, which have been released by the charity, show that type of rescue has almost doubled since 2021, when 71 were recorded.

The number of multi-animal rescues has also steadily increased in the intervening years, with 101 recorded in 2022; 97 recorded in 2023 and 82 recorded in 2024.

RSPCA Superintendent Jo Hirst said: “We are struggling with rising reports of cruelty and neglect and over recent years more and more of those reports will involve, 10, 20, even 100 animals. And because they’ve been living in large groups, they may need more support until they are ready to find a new home.”

She added: “We currently have more animals in our care than space in our centres. These large animal rescues are adding to already overwhelmed animal centres and local charities.

“We really need help from animal lovers. If you are considering adding a pet to your home, please consider rescuing. We need extra special homes for some of our animals.”

The RSPCA said many of the animals rescued have been saved from heartbreaking cruelty and neglect, and require extensive care and rehabilitation before they can be rehomed.

Many of them are involved in legal cases, which can delay rehoming further.

Last year alone, the RSPCA responded to 1,752 mass cat incidents - the equivalent almost five every single day - and 1,119 mass dog reports last year, which averages out as three every single day.

There were 75 large-scale incidents involving 100 or more animals being rescued from the same property last year alone - 13 of those included cats, and three included dogs. Many were multi-agency operations involving other charities and public bodies

Cases of large numbers of animals being kept at one address can be linked to mental health struggles, the cost of living crisis, or breeders operating with poor practices. And RSPCA experts say that initially well-meaning individuals often see situations spiral out of control.

Recent multi-animal incidents that the RSPCA has been involved in include hundreds of animals - including dogs, horses, birds and cats - rescued from squalid conditions on a farm; a large number of pedigree cats rescued in poor health from one property; while last month 20 guinea pigs were signed over from a property by someone struggling to cope.

More than 30 alpacas were recently rehomed in the Midlands when the owners were struggling to care for them - a job that needed outside help as the large number and size of these animals meant it was difficult to take them in at short notice. The RSPCA will reach out to other organisations when needed to get animals the help they need.

Another recent example involved an incident where more than 250 poodle-cross dogs, all from the same property, were signed over to the Dogs Trust Charity. The numbers and living conditions of the dogs had rapidly grown out of control due to extenuating family circumstances. The RSPCA took in 87 dogs, and the rest went to the Dogs Trust.