Pictured: Leonardo – RSPCA
RSPCA Cymru is appealing for extra-special adopters across Wales as their rescue teams struggle with rising cases of multiple animals – sometimes in excess of 100 – housed at single addresses.
So far this year, RSPCA frontline officers are dealing with an average 410* ‘multi-animal’ incidents – involving 10 or more every single month – an increase on 2025 which was a record breaking year. In Wales there have been 241 between January and August – and last year the annual total was a staggering 344.
Many of the animals rescued from these homes have behavioural and medical needs requiring rehabilitation, often supported by vet teams at inspiring vet care. This Adoptober, in partnership with inspiring vet care, the RSPCA is urgently calling upon experienced and patient pet owners to consider helping by rehoming and fostering.
One of animals who has been looking for a special forever home is Riff (pictured below) at RSPCA Bryn Y Maen Animal Centre in Upper Colwyn Bay.
Riff was rescued alongside multiple other cats and rescuers realised quickly that the two-year-old tabby has had very limited interactions with humans.
Jo Rowland, Chief Executive for the RSPCA, said: “We are struggling and we urgently need help. Our frontline officers are finding dozens, even hundreds of animals in need at single addresses.
“We are getting amazing support from other animal charities and our brilliant network of RSPCA branches but we are all under immense strain.
“Animals who have come from homes like this often have behavioural and medical needs, due to the environment they had been living in and need a little more care and understanding. We need to get pets out of our centres and into loving homes so we can continue to rescue.”
The charity said rising levels of multi-animal cases are putting unprecedented pressure on its teams and volunteers across England and Wales – with 3,280 multi-animal cases reported across England and Wales already this year – an average of 410 incidents each month.
In 2025 RSPCA frontline officers responded to more than 4,200 incidents involving 10 or more animals at a single address – nearly 12 every single day and 355 a month. These incidents involved 88,000 animals including dogs, cats, small pets, horses and exotic animals and 75 of those cases involved more than 100 animals – more than one of these staggering rescues every single week.
Cases of large numbers of animals being kept at one address can be linked to mental health struggles, the cost of living crisis, or breeders operating with poor practices. And RSPCA experts say that initially well-meaning individuals often see situations spiral out of control.
Jo added: “Hoarding incidents are just one of the ways in which these situations occur – some multi-animal incidents involve breeders or people can become overwhelmed unintentionally by not neutering early enough. In many cases the best way to help is for our rescuers to offer advice and support such as neutering and rehoming some of the animals, so they are at more manageable levels.
“We are encouraging people to contact an animal charity if they are at a stage where they, or someone they know, is struggling with the numbers of animals they have in their household. The sooner actions are taken the better for animals and people.”
inspiring vet care are the RSPCA’s official vet partner for rehoming and Adoptober. They are working with the RSPCA to help improve animal welfare and pet rehoming across England and Wales. Their support is helping more animals find loving homes more quickly and creating space in centres so RSPCA officers can continue their vital rescue work.
Jo said: “We currently have more animals in our care than space in our centres and branches – and it’s a heart-breaking situation that other animal charities and rescue centres are also facing – that’s why we are asking people with space in their home for a pet to consider adopting. Not only does it 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.
“We really need help from animal lovers. If you are considering adding a pet to your home, please consider rescuing – and if you can’t adopt, could you consider fostering? We are working to increase our number of foster carers, as well as modernising our rehoming process, to try and get animals into loving homes sooner.
“We need extra special homes for some of our animals and we’re so grateful to anyone who can support our Adoptober campaign – be it through adopting or fostering, or sharing profiles of animals who need new homes.”
Visit the RSPCA website to find out more about adopting and fostering pets.
