The RSPCA is facing a 'rehoming crisis'.

New figures show that in 2023, 42 per cent more animals arrived at the RSPCA than were adopted, with 101 animals currently at the charity's Bryn-Y-Maen animal centre in Colwyn Bay.

RSPCA Bryn-Y-Maen in North Wales, like all the charity’s 14 national rehoming centres, is at or near full capacity, with pets either waiting to be adopted or being assessed for adoption, leaving countless dogs, cats and other animals still in emergency boarding waiting for a place at a rehoming centre.

So until animals like rabbits Annie and Hallie, who have been in RSPCA care at Bryn-y-Maen for more than 350 days without a single application, are adopted, there is little to no space for new animals to be brought into the centre for rehoming.

In response, the charity, which is marking its 200th year, is launching its annual ‘Adoptober’ rehoming campaign; urging animal lovers to adopt a pet from a rescue centre rather than buying from a breeder to help ease the rehoming crisis.

Last year, while the charity’s 14 rehoming centres and 135 independently-run branches found new homes for 28,208 dogs, cats, rabbits and other pets, this was far fewer than the 40,118 animals that arrived at the shelters across England and Wales.

Karen Colman, who leads the RSPCA team finding places for rescued animals, said: "Our rescue centres are jam-packed, and across the board, we’ve been seeing more animals coming to us than we are rehoming.

"We are issuing a rallying cry to anyone in North Wales considering adding a pet to their family to step in and help by giving a rescue pet a second chance instead of buying from breeders.

"This increasing discrepancy between animal intake and rehoming numbers is a worrying trend, and means so many animals are still waiting for a home."

This year, the picture again 'looks critical', with data from the first six months of the year showing that the RSPCA’s 14 national animal centres took in 21 per cent more dogs, 16 per cent more cats and 32 per cent more equines compared to the first six months of 2023.

Ms Colman added: "We are also still seeing the effect of the pandemic on dogs and an increase in those coming into care with complex behaviour, which is contributing to the pressure for spaces at rehoming centres.

"Our recent Animal Kindness Index found that nearly eight out of 10 (78 per cent) of pet-owners in Wales felt that the cost of looking after their pet had become slightly or much more expensive, with owners finding the costs of pet food and vet bills higher.

"There’s nothing more heartwarming than a successful adoption, and the wonderful staff at our branches and centres celebrate every time an animal finds their forever home.

"So if you’re looking for a pet - whether it’s a cat or dog, a donkey or a bearded dragon - please visit our user-friendly ‘Find A Pet’ webpage and ‘adopt don’t shop’ this Adoptober."