RSPCA: Workers discover two kittens left on the back of a truck in a zipped up Aldi bag

The RSPCA in Chesterfield is caring for two kittens thought to have been deliberately abandoned in an Aldi bag - and left on the back of a truck.

Two men working in the Hasland area on 23 January noticed the bag moving. When they unzipped it to take a closer look, they found two tabby and white kittens huddled together inside. They were rushed to the RSPCA Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Branch’s animal centre immediately, where they were checked over by staff. 

The pair are estimated to be around eight-months-old, the animal welfare charity said, and seem to be in good health, although they were not microchipped. They been named Constance and Evelyn, and the bonded pair will be looking for a home together in due course - with prospective adopters advised to keep an eye on the centre’s website.

Steph McCawley from the Chesterfield shelter, which last year looked after and found new homes for 300 unwanted animals, said: “The bag didn’t belong to the men and it was moving on the back of the vehicle, and to their shock they found these two lovely kittens inside.

“They’re friendly pets, in good condition and have obviously been cared for in the past, so it’s very sad that someone has resorted to this course of action," she said. "We’d like to say a big thank you to the men for bringing Constance and Evelyn to the centre. They’re now safe and warm with full tummies and getting lots of attention from everyone here.”  

This comes as the RSPCA says it is is in the midst of an animal abandonment crisis. Abandonment calls at the charity have reached a three-year high, and rescuers now say more than 20,000 dumped animals were reported throughout the course of 2023 - including 10,583 cats. These kittens are not the first to be found abandoned in an unusual location either - with one cat recently found huddled under a rack of Bart Simpson jumpers in a busy Primark.

The charity believes the current economic climate, combined with a boom in pet ownership during the pandemic, has created a perfect storm for animal abandonment. It says its officers are seeing the impact on the frontline - with reports of abandoned animals increasing as owners resort to desperate measures.

Anyone with first-hand information about the two kittens and where they might have come from is urged to contact the RSPCA’s appeals line on 0300 123 8018.