Fewer animals have been rehomed this year in the Stirling area - but more incidents have been reported - according to new figures released by the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
The society said from January 1 to May 31 this year there was a drop of more than 50 per cent in the number of animals rehomed locally compared to the same time last year. The number of incidents rose from 173 in 2020 to 210 this year.
The majority of incidents in the Stirling area were reports of injuries to wildlife which equalled 118 out of the 210 jobs. Injured wild animals are taken to the Scottish SPCA National Wildlife Rescue Centre in Clackmannanshire where there is an average of 10,000 wildlife admissions each year.
However, the society says it is “thrilled” to have the support of Stirling MP Alyn Smith.
Scottish SPCA chief executive Kirsteen Campbell, who along with SSPCA chief superintendent Mike Flynn met with the MP recently, said, “Our dedicated frontline is embedded in the Stirling community and we help animals and people across the Forth Valley.
“We did see a rise in the number of incidents reported in the area compared to last year but this is to be expected because of the pandemic. Over lockdown we received fewer calls to our animal helpline due to restricted movement and less people being out and about.
“It is heartening that so many people in the Stirling area care so much for wild animals with wildlife rescue being the most common reason for people to call us.
“We enjoyed updating Mr Smith about the key messages in our manifesto recently. This includes our campaign to ban fox hunting and the use of snares. We are also calling for licenses to allow the translocation and release of beavers in Scotland which we hope will combat the need for lethal control.
“Mr Smith was also interested to hear of our efforts to tackle the low-welfare puppy trade which has increased tenfold over the pandemic due to public demand for puppies. We rescued over 150 puppies from the industry in 2020 and we continue to work with other leading agencies to fight the trade.
“Many people have bought a sick or dying puppy which is heartbreaking for a new family. Tackling the trade has led to us saving more animals who come in to our care without the possibility of being rehomed. Our centres have become full and this puts a huge strain on our resources.
“Many animals involved in legal proceedings spend months or even years in our care. Whilst our amazing animal care and rehabilitation teams provide first class treatment for these animals, a centre is no substitute for a loving home environment. With the best will in the world, an animal’s health can still deteriorate in a kennel environment. Our priority is to get animals in to secure and loving homes as quickly as possible.
“We are so pleased to have the support of Alyn Smith on these issues and we look forward to working together in the future.”
Alyn Smith MP said: “It was great to hear from Mike and Kirsteen about the continuing work of the Scottish SPCA, and how they’ve adapted operations throughout the pandemic. The Scottish SPCA continue to do a power of work to protect animals, pets and livestock.”
