Other cities in the West Midlands – Walsall and Dudley – also appear high on the list, falling in the worst five areas. Despite this, the West Midlands only has the third most missing animals of any region.
Birmingham has been revealed as the city with the highest number of pets currently listed as lost outside of Greater London. Other cities in the West Midlands – Walsall and Dudley – also appear high on the list, falling in the worst five areas. Despite this, the West Midlands only has the third most missing animals of any region.
The figures come from Go.Compare pet insurance , which analysed data from Animal Search, a leading missing pet organisation. The study revealed which UK regions have the most missing animals. The North West has the country’s most lost pets outside of London, according to new research.
The region currently has nearly 25,000 pets listed as missing, including more than 21,400 cats, 2,400 dogs and over 800 other types of animals. The North West tops the regional list outside of London, with areas like Stockport and Bolton also placing in the top 10 cities with the most lost pets.
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In just the highest three cities – Birmingham, Manchester and Walsall – almost 15,000 pets are currently listed as missing. Also appearing in the top five are Yorkshire and the Humber, and the South East. These two regions, alongside the West Midlands, all have over 10,000 missing pets, mostly made up of missing felines.
By comparison, Scotland, the North East, Wales and Northern Ireland all have the fewest lost pets. These UK regions all have less than 5,000 reported missing animals, placing them at the bottom of the list.
Rhys Jones, pet insurance expert at Go.Compare, said: “Unfortunately, sometimes our pets will get lost, whether your dog runs off on a walk or your cat wanders too far from home. We tend to see the highest number of lost animals in areas with more pets, like in big cities. But there are steps owners can take to protect their animals.
“Microchipping is the number one way to do this. If your pet is lost, the microchip can identify them and help you reunite. This is mandatory for cats and dogs but is worth considering for other animals, too.
“Plus, some pet insurance policies will only provide cover for a lost pet if they’ve been microchipped. Pet insurance is another important way of protecting your animal, as you might be able to claim for related costs like advertising. Sometimes, they’ll offer cover for a reward if your pet is found, or provide compensation if they aren’t.”