Trio of cute kittens found dumped in Harry Potter bag are given wizarding names by RSPCA rescuers
Three young kittens who were abandoned beside a road in a plastic Harry Potter bag have been rescued by the RSPCA.
Now safe in the care of the animal charity, the young black and white kittens have been named Harry, Ron, and Hermione, after the famous characters in the Harry Potter books.
The kittens were just a few weeks old when they were found in a carrier bag with the words ‘Platform 9 and ¾’ across the front and back.
They had been left beside Somerset Road in Handsworth, Birmingham, where they were discovered by a member of the public on Monday, May 22 at around 5pm.
The RSPCA was contacted and Harry, Ron, and Hermione were taken into the care of the team at RSPCA Coventry & District Branch, who transformed an isolation unit in the cattery into 'Mogwarts' for the three 'Hufflefluffs'.
The kittens will be found new homes once they are ready for adoption.
The abandonment of the three kittens comes as figures show that the charity received 1,822 reports to its emergency helpline about an animal being abandoned in May.
That compares with 1,609 abandonments for the same month last year - marking a rise of 13 per cent.
RSPCA Inspector Jonny Wood said: "Thankfully these little guys were found and have been given the care and attention they deserve but we’re pleading with people not to dump their pets. It is never the answer.
"We appreciate the financial difficulties some people are experiencing right now, however abandoning your pet, or not seeking appropriate veterinary help if it’s needed, is never acceptable.
"There is help and support available and we would urge people to contact their vets, local rescues and animal welfare charities."
The animal welfare charity has also highlighted the importance of neutering cats. Along with other cat and veterinary organisations, the RSPCA encourages people to get their cats neutered from four months old as a responsible part of pet ownership.
For many years, charities have seen a peak in cats coming into their care during kitten season (typically seen between April and September), with animals sometimes found in cardboard boxes and bins or dumped by roadsides when their owners can no longer care for them or weren’t expecting a litter.
Neutering can help tackle this issue and reduce the immense pressure that animal welfare organisations are under, especially over the summer months.
With the rising cost of living, the RSPCA encourages cat owners to plan ahead, make sure they are registered with a vet, explore whether local charities can offer neutering vouchers in their area and take out pet insurance to help cover unexpected costs.
There is more help and advice for animal-owners struggling during the cost of living crisis on the RSPCA website here.
Anyone who has information about the kittens and where they have come from is urged to contact the RSPCA’s appeal line on 0300 123 8018.
The RSPCA Coventry and District Branch is fundraising to pay for the care of the kittens and encouraging people to donate through the webpage here.
It costs the branch, which is a separately registered and independently funded charity, more than £40,000 a month to keep the animal centre open with thousands of pounds also spent on vet bills to treat the rescue animals.
