Can you give Norman and Stanley a loving home?

Forever homes are being sought for two guinea pigs, the RSPCA West Norfolk Branch’s longest stay animals.Norman and Stanley have been in the charity’s care since May and the appeal comes as the RSPCA nationwide reveals it is facing a rehoming crisis across England and Wales as figures for last year show 42 per cent more animals arrived at the RSPCA than were adopted.Rehoming centres are at full or near 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, the RSPCA has said.

In its 200th year, the RSPCA has launching its annual ‘Adoptober’ rehoming campaign, urging animal lovers to adopt a pet from a rescue centre or RSPCA branch.Emily Cole from the West Norfolk branch said Norman and Stanley are around five months old and have bonded so must be rehomed together.“Both are very sweet boys who are very inquisitive and love to talk to you, especially when they know their food is on the way,” she said. “They will both need gentle handling to get them used to it. But once held, they are both quite calm.“Both Norman and Stanley love their outdoor time on the grass, where they nibble away to their heart’s content. They will require spacious accommodation with hides, tunnels, and plenty of enrichment to keep them entertained, along with a constant supply of hay.” Potential adopters can visit the Eau Brink branch at Tilney All Saints’ website for more information https://westnorfolkrspca.org.uk/Last year, while the RSPCA’s 14 rehoming centres and 135 independently-run branches found new homes for an incredible 28,208 dogs, cats, rabbits and other pets, that was far fewer than the 40,118 animals that arrived at shelters.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 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.“Our rehoming centres have reached crisis point and are full-to-bursting, creating a bottle-neck where we’re having to care for rescued animals at emergency boarding kennels and catteries.“Last year, across England and Wales, the RSPCA took in over 40,000 dogs, cats and other animals, but only around seven out of 10 of those – 28,208 – were rehomed. This increasing discrepancy between animal intake and rehoming numbers is a worrying trend, and means so many animals are still waiting for a home”.Karen 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. This is compounded by the cost of living crisis with fees associated with their pet care beyond the means of some people at the moment. “The cost of living seems to be a driving factor across the board. Our recent Animal Kindness Index found that 83% of pet-owners in the East of England 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.“But our amazing teams are doing all they can. Our 135 independently run branches continue to rehome at a phenomenal pace and we are extremely proud of the work that they do. They play a vital role in local communities across England and Wales and whilst they feel the pressure of taking in more animals they have done an incredible job finding so many loving new homes.”The RSPCA hopes its month-long Adoptober rehoming campaign will increase adoption rates across England and Wales. The drive celebrates the benefits of rescue pets, highlights the many animals that are waiting to find their perfect ‘forever’ match and dispels myths about rescue pet rehoming.Karen added: “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.”