ANIMAL charity the RSPCA rehomed 46 dogs in Worcestershire and 137 in the West Midlands last year and, while Staffies are still the most rescued breed, designer dogs are appearing more and more in its rehoming centres.
As part of the RSPCA’s special rehoming drive Adoptober – launched today – new national figures have been released showing that while pure-breed and crossbreed Staffies, lurchers, Jack Russell terriers and German shepherds are still the most common dog to come into its care, more trendy ‘handbag’ breeds and fashionable crossbreeds are also ending up at its animal centres.
The number of chihuahuas coming into its care has gone up by 700 per cent in the last seven years (14 in 2012 to 112 in 2018), while the number of French bulldogs is up 236 per cent, dachshunds 600 per cent and pomeranians are up 440 per cent.
The charity is also seeing more popular crossbreeds and breeds used for crosses – such as cocker spaniels and poodles – arriving in its centres as inspectors shut down puppy farms and collect abandoned dogs and puppies.
Last year, the RSPCA rescued 64 dogs from abuse and neglect in Worcestershire and received 5,480 calls to its 24-hour cruelty hotline about animals in the county.
Dog welfare expert Lisa Hens said: “We know that the animals coming into our care tend to reflect general dog ownership trends and there’s been a huge surge in recent years in people buying ‘designer dogs’ and crossbreeds such as cavachons, puggles and cockerpoos.
“As part of our rehoming drive this October – called Adoptober – we want to shine a light on all of the dogs in our care and encourage people to adopt a rescue dog instead of buying a puppy.
“All the animals in our care have a lot of love to give and we have a huge variety of dogs in our kennels waiting for homes, of all ages, shapes, sizes and breeds.”
To offer an RSPCA rescue dog a new home visit www.rspca.org.uk/findapet
