The number of pets getting abandoned by their owners has soared to a three-year high, leaving the charity in what it has called a “winter crisis”.
There were 1,800 incidents of abandonment reported across England and Wales in October – up by 48.1% from October 2020.
RSPCA inspectorate commissioner Dermot Murphy said: "We're desperately concerned about the coming winter months - abandonments have soared and many rescue centres are full to bursting, so we are facing an unprecedented winter crisis.
"Our rescue teams are set to be busier than ever this Christmas - so we need animal lovers to join the Christmas Rescue and donate to help us be there for animals in desperate need as abandonment soars.”
The charity said the reasons for the spike in abandonments include a surge in people getting pets during the Covid pandemic and the current cost of living crisis.
Mr Murphy told the BBC’s Newsround: "More people also took on pets during the Covid pandemic - and perhaps they were unprepared for the long-term commitment which a pet needs.”
“Sadly at the RSPCA we are seeing more people abandoning their pets because they can no longer afford them.”
Advice on dealing with the cost of living crisis includes finding a pet food bank, speaking to your vet about issues with money, looking for cheaper pharmacies and contacting the RSPCA’s advice team
The charity is calling on the public to “join the Christmas rescue” with donations and help.