Harriet is a black English cocker spaniel abandoned as a deepening cost-of-living crisis pushes growing numbers of Britons to part with their pets.
She was found running along a busy road in London after witnesses saw her pushed out of a car and is one of 206 dogs and 164 cats currently being looked after at rehoming centres run by the Battersea animal charity.
“We are seeing an increase of the animals that people want to give into Battersea, of up to 30 % from last year. We don't have any specific data, but we are seeing that some of these animals are because people are no longer able to look after them, they're no longer able to afford their care, particularly things like veterinary care.”
Dogs Trust, which currently has 692 dogs needing homes in 21 centres across the country, said the last time it had seen anything like this was in the wake of the 2008 financial crash.
“爱狗信托”运营总监亚当·克洛斯表示:“生活成本危机向我们蔓延的速度比人们预期的快得多。”
"This cost-of-living crisis has crept up on us a lot more quickly than people ever expected," said the Trust's operations director Adam Clowes.
Three snakes, including an 8-foot (2.4-metre) boa constrictor, were recently dumped in pillow cases outside a reptile shop, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) told Reuters.
The trend, which follows a surge in demand for pets during COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns in a country known for its love of animals, comes as households brace for energy bills to more than triple in January on last year, hammering people's incomes.
Woodgreen, an animal charity, saying applications to adopt animals have dropped to the 100s a month from around 10,000 during lockdowns.
Pilar Gómez-Igbo, an assistant editor, could have been one potential owner, but having done some research she is now worried about the extra costs.
"As the change in living costs became more evident, yes definitely, it joined the list of things to seriously consider," she said. "I will make myself wait a little."
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