A Rotherhithe farm has warned people not to abandon their pets after foxes killed at least one animal left in a bag on its premises.
Surrey Docks Farm shared CCTV footage showing somebody dumping a travel bag by its gate at around 10.25pm on Sunday, September 8.
The farm’s Instagram post continued: ‘Sadly within just a few minutes CCTV showed a fox sniffing the bag and then ten minutes later the foxes were back and had knocked the bag over and got inside’.
When employees opened the bag the next morning, they found a note saying ‘please help us’ but no animals inside.
The farm has urged the public not to treat it as a ‘rehoming centre’ and think carefully before buying pets.
Surrey Docks Farm wrote on Instagram: ‘Taking on an animal is a big responsibility and we strongly advise against children having pets.
‘Every week we get contacted by parents saying something along the lines of ‘our child is no longer interested, would we like a rabbit?’.’
The incident comes after two guinea pigs were discovered ‘freezing and helpless’ on a Deptford construction site in January 2023.
The Covid-19 pandemic also saw cats being abandoned at an alarming rate, according to a Bermondsey rescue centre.
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An RSPCA spokesperson said: “It is dreadful to hear that these pets were left on their own in such a vulnerable situation.
“Last winter, abandonment calls to the RSPCA were at a three-year high.
“Abandoning any animal is not acceptable at any time and the RSPCA urges owners to seek out help if they are struggling to care for their pets,” they continued.
“We would urge people to consider very carefully the commitment of ownership as rabbits and other small animals are often viewed as easy pets to care for, but in fact require an investment in time and resources over the long term.”
