ANIMAL welfare charities are urging people in Cornwall and the wider South West to consider adopting rescue pets, as new figures reveal a sharp rise in large-scale animal neglect and cruelty incidents across England and Wales.

The RSPCA says it responded to around 4,200 incidents last year involving 10 or more animals at a single address nationwide – a rise of nearly 70 per cent over four years. Of those, 387 incidents were recorded in the South West, underlining the pressure on local rescue centres in Cornwall, Devon and surrounding counties.

The charity is warning that its centres are now at breaking point, with animal numbers at a six-year high and almost half of rescued animals requiring emergency boarding because there is no space available in rehoming facilities.

Many of these animals have been taken from severe neglect or cruelty cases and require long periods of rehabilitation before they can be considered for adoption. Others are involved in ongoing legal proceedings, delaying their chances of finding new homes.

RSPCA Superintendent Jo Hirst said the scale of incidents involving large numbers of animals is increasing, with some cases involving dozens or even hundreds of animals at a time. She said centres are under intense pressure: “We currently have more animals in our care than space in our centres. These large animal rescues are adding to already overwhelmed animal centres and local charities.”

The RSPCA is urging potential pet owners to consider adopting rather than buying, in order to free up space for incoming rescues.

Last year alone, the charity dealt with 1,752 large-scale cat incidents, 1,119 involving dogs, alongside 75 cases involving more than 100 animals at a single property.

The RSPCA says such cases are often linked to mental health struggles, the cost-of-living crisis, or poorly managed breeding situations that spiral out of control, leaving animals in unsafe conditions.