22 Aug 2025
The charity said its mid-year report highlights achievements across its “rescue, protect, and lead” strategic pillars.
Chris Simpson
Job Title
A welfare charity has revealed a significant rise in demand for its services in the first half of the year.
The Scottish SPCA released its 2025 mid-year report covering January through June, with increasing numbers of foster placements and calls to give up pets.
But SSPCA leaders have also hailed the impact the charity is having on the fortunes of both pets and wildlife.
Calls from pet owners considering relinquishing their animals totalled 2,400 across the first half of 2025, a 19.5% increase that follows a 24% rise in demand for the service last year.
The charity’s Pet Aid Vet scheme supported 564 animals and their owners between January and June; the scheme launched in August last year and treated 489 pets in its first six months.
Officials reported a 62.5% rise in foster placements with 351 pets placed into care, but the Society also rehomed 1,933 animals.
The Pet Aid initiative also provided almost 45,000 meals to pets to help owners struggling to afford food amid the cost-of-living crisis.
More than 2,000 wild animals were admitted to the SSPCA’s National Wildlife Rescue Centre, representing a 5.6% increase, with almost 600 wild animals rehabilitated and released.
SSPCA chief executive Mark Bishop said: “The scale of need we’re seeing is significant – but so is the impact we’re having. Behind every statistic is an animal, a person, a family.”
He added: “I’m proud to be part of a team working every day to protect animals, support communities and create lasting change.
“Animal welfare depends on everyone, and this report shows just how vital that collective effort is – and why prevention, partnership and early action must remain our focus.”
The charity also released an update on its finances, revealing a year-to-date deficit of £2.7 million, which it said is lower than anticipated at this stage.
