Pet rats abandoned in Rhyl saved from 'horrible' death after being set on fire

Pet rats have been saved from a "horrible and painful" death after being abandoned - then set on fire - in a park.

The rodents were found in two rabbit hutches, which are thought to have been deliberately set on fire, on a basketball court at the Trellewelyn Road play park in Rhyl.

Evidence from the scene suggested that both hutches - which were charred and blackened at the base - had been deliberately set on fire, the RSPCA said.

Newspaper had been placed inside, and a piece of plastic which may have been used to try to ignite the blaze, was also found nearby after inspectors were alerted last Wednesday morning (August 24).

Luckily, the fires didn’t take hold and the rats - nine males in one hutch and six females in the other - all survived and are doing well in RSPCA care after being checked over by a vet.

The charity says it will find loving homes for them all in due course.

Animal rescue officer (ARO) John Littlewood, who collected the rats, said: "It appears that both hutches were set on fire while the rats were still inside. Both enclosures smelt of some sort of accelerant and there was fire damage visible to the doors and base.

“Thankfully the fires didn’t spread, although some of the females suffered singed whiskers and fur, but none of them were seriously injured.

“From looking at the barren and dirty conditions inside, I would say that all of them had been living in these hutches for some time with no opportunities for these highly intelligent animals to climb, nest, forage or explore.

“It’s shocking and incomprehensible that someone has abandoned these pets and then attempted to set fire to them. There would have been no escape had the blaze taken hold, and they would have suffered a horrible and painful death.”

The shocking incident comes as the RSPCA’s Cancel out Cruelty campaign has revealed that 1,554 reports of abandoned animals were made to the charity in Wales between January and July 2022, a rise of 23% compared to the same period last year.

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact the RSPCA’s inspectorate appeal line on 0300 123 8018.