Charity seeks pet lovers to help 'capacity crisis'

3 hours ago

Josh McLaughlinSouth East

News image — Five-year-old French bulldog Callie is one of the pets waiting for a home at RSPCA Millbrook Animal Centre in Woking

RSPCA Callie, a French bulldog, stands on four paws on top of a wooden bench. She is wearing a leopard-print harness. Her bottom row of teeth are showing as she opens her mouth. — Five-year-old French bulldog Callie is one of the pets waiting for a home at RSPCA Millbrook Animal Centre in Woking

People seeking to adopt a pet in Surrey are needed to help with what the UK's largest animal welfare charity has called a "capacity crisis".

The RSPCA said its rescue teams had been overwhelmed with saving multiple animals - and in one case 250 dogs - housed at single addresses.

There have been 34 reported multi-animal cases in Surrey between January and August this year, with a total of 3,280 across England and Wales in the same timespan, according to the charity.

Jo Rowland, RSPCA chief executive, said: "We currently have more animals in our care than space in our centres and branches - it's a heart-breaking situation."

In 2025, the RSPCA said its staff had responded to more than 4,200 multi-animal cases in total. These are when rescue officers respond to a single address housing 10 or more pets.

Saved animals - such as collie cross Sadie who was previously described as "Britain's loneliest dog" - also include cats, horses and exotic animals, with 75 of those cases involving more than 100 at a time.

These types of cases can be linked to health struggles, the cost-of-living crisis, breeders with poor practices or well-meaning people seeing "situations spiral out of control," the charity said.

Rowland said the best support in many cases was offering advice, neutering or rehoming some of the animals.

RSPCA Labrador retriever Athena (pictured left) and Jack Russell Ronnie (pictured right) wag their tails and look into the camera. The pictures have been taken separately on a field of grass, which have been composited together and separated by a thin white margin. Both Athena and Ronnie have open mouths and are sticking their tongues out. — Athena (pictured left) is a nervous dog with a "heart of gold", the charity says, while Ronnie (right) found his way to the RSPCA after being abandoned

At RSPCA Millbrook Animal Centre in Woking, dogs such as labrador retriever crossbreed Athena and French bulldog Callie are waiting to be rehomed.

The charity has teamed up with Inspiring Vet Care for Adoptober - a campaign which aims to shine a spotlight on animals waiting for a forever home.

Alongside rising cruelty and neglect, 2025 saw a five-year high of animals in RSPCA care, which the charity said had plunged them into a "capacity crisis".

"We really need help from animal lovers," Rowland said.

"Not only does [adopting] free up vital space so we can rescue more animals in need, but it's so much better for the animals to be out of kennels and in a loving home."

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