The DSPCA is currently at full capacity, with almost 250 animals in its care waiting for adoption.
That includes 120 dogs, 63 cats, 43 rabbits, 13 guinea pigs, two snakes and two donkeys.
So far this year, the shelter has received over 300 surrender requests from people trying to rehome their pets.
The animal welfare organisation has launched ‘Furrever Friends’ plush toy collection aimed at raising funds to support the charity while also promoting responsible pet ownership.
Tanya Clarke, DSPCA's Head of Dog Operations, said: "We see a lot of cases of pets being surrendered because families weren’t fully prepared or aware of the commitment involved.
"Our ‘Furrever Friends’ plush toys provide a way for people, especially children and families, to engage with the idea of pet ownership in a responsible, thoughtful manner before making that big decision. We want to ensure each pet that is adopted from our shelter finds its forever home and the funds and awareness raised through this initiative will help us reach our goal and continue to care for as many animals in need as possible, as well as uniting families with the perfect pet that suits their lifestyle."
The collection includes a variety of animals from dogs to cats, rabbits to reptiles. Each ‘Furrever Friend’ comes with an educational leaflet offering guidance on responsible pet adoption and animal care.
