RSPCA says more than two animals were abandoned a day in Hampshire last year

Nationally the charity says it got an average of four calls an hour – 38,807 in total across the year – to its cruelty line in 2021.

The statistics have been released as part of its Cancel Out Cruelty campaign.

In Hampshire, there were 829 abandoned animals reported to the RSPCA in 2021 and 397 up to the end of July this year.

The number of animals being dumped is also on the rise nationally with a 17 per cent increase from 2020 to 2021 and a 24 per cent increase in 2022.

The charity says it fears that the huge rise in pet ownership during the pandemic has now encountered the cost-of-living crisis.

RSPCA chief inspectorate officer Dermot Murphy said: ‘We understand that sometimes the unexpected can happen - the pandemic and cost of living crisis proved that - but there is never an excuse to abandon an animal. There are always other options for anyone who has fallen on hard times and can no longer afford to keep their pet.’

In Hampshire, RSPCA animal rescue officer Karen Gregor rescued four budgies and two cockatiels dumped in bushes by an underpass in Otterbourne Hill near Winchester.

The abandoned birds were confined in a small cage. None of the birds was in good condition, one was missing his foot and two had wing injuries.

One of the cockatiels had an eye problem and lots of damaged and missing feathers. The birds were given veterinary care before being taken to The Stubbington Ark for rehoming.