Unwanted pets dumped in bags in the street as struggling shelter boss reveals death threats from owners

Unwanted pets are being dumped in bags and boxes in the street by owners who are struggling to care for them amid the soaring cost of living pressures. One charity boss has even spoken about receiving death threats from people desperate for their animals to be taken away.

Helpless kittens and rabbits are among the animals that are being welcomed into the care of charity Changing Lives, in Carrington. But, rising vet bills and the day to day costs of looking after them now means the charity is having to scramble to find between £7,000 and £15,000 every month - with no government support.

Founder Nicole McGawley, 24, first set up the charity amid the Covid-19 pandemic, after seeing heartbreaking videos of young kittens being abused circulating on social media. What started out as a few crates in a stable at a farm soon grew into something more.

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Like other animal charities, Nicole now finds herself in a crisis. Limited space and the immense pressures to care for a soaring number of pets left at her doorstep mean the 24-year-old is now receiving death threats and the overhanging responsibility of keeping the cats, dogs, rabbits and guinea pigs in her care alive.

Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, she said: "I have always been an animal lover. It started when I saw videos of a cat being mistreated on social media and I wondered what I could to help pets that can't be cared for.

"I have always been ambitious and wanted to make a change so decided to set up the animal rescue charity. At first, I was living on a farm and set up in the stables with a few crates but then we started getting bigger and bigger. We had to buy two shipping containers and