PETS are being abandoned after false claims that animals can pass coronavirus to humans.
Nearly two pets an hour are being abandoned in lockdown Britain, a shocking Sun Online investigation can reveal.
Other pets are being abandoned after their owners die during the Covid-19 pandemic.
While others are feared to have been left by people who are struggling to afford the upkeep of their animal.
The RSPCA is now so worried about the situation they will next week launch a new campaign.
It will include calls for pet-owners to make an emergency pet-care plan should be sthey be admitted to hospital with coronavirus.
They will also be asked to place a window informing people there are pets inside their home should they be taken in to hospital.
Some of the cases of abandoned animals the charity has dealt with include a two-year-old poodle that was found in a garden after being thrown over a seven-foot fence in East London.
A rabbit was found unable to use its back legs after being dumped in a cardboard box in Liverpool.
And two eight-week-old kittens were found discarded in a cat carrier next to a canal in Rochdale, Greater Manchester.
Experts believe it is not likely that cats or dogs can pass the deadly bug on to humans.
Research has shown cats could catch the virus from other cats, and there have been reports of dogs testing positive for Covid-19 in Hong Konh
But speaking last month, Dr Angel Almendros, from City University in Hong Kong, told BBC: “There isn’t a single case of a pet dog or cat infecting a human with Covid-19,” .
The British Veterinary Association (BVA) said “owners should not worry” about infection from pets.
BVA president Daniella Dos Santos advised people should keep cats indoors “only if someone in their own household showed symptoms” and urged pet owners to “practise good hand hygiene”.
Dr Dos Santos said: “An animal’s fur could carry the virus for a time if a pet were to have come into contact with someone who was sick.”
An RSPCA spokesperson said: “Although much of the country is on lockdown, sadly there are still thousands of animals who need our help, including abandoned pets
“Many people are finding their pets are a real source of comfort in these anxious times and thankfully cases of abandonment are slightly lower than usual but it’s heartbreaking that some beautiful pets like Red are being dumped during this crisis.
“In most cases we don’t know why pets are abandoned but it’s really important to remind people that there is no evidence to suggest that Covid-19 can be passed from pets to people.
“There is lots of help and support out there for anyone else struggling to get animal food, with health or behavioural issues, exercising their pets or managing to keep children safe around pets. Please don’t be afraid to ask for help.”
Since the country went into lockdown on 23 March, the RSPCA has had 1,663 incidents of abandonments reported to its cruelty hotline – an average of 40 incidents a day.
The RSPCA has responded to more than 27,000 incidents, with 1,600 incidents of abandoned animals reported Ssnce the Government introduced the lockdown measures,
The number of animals being cared for by the RSPCA at centres, hospitals and vet surgeries has also grown by hundreds.
The charity has received more than 92,800 calls from members of the public. There are more than 4,300 animals in RSPCA care.
Animal rescuers at the charity have been designated key workers by the Government but vital funding is needed to help the RSPCA’s frontline staff continue this crucial work across England and Wales.
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