The RSPCA’s Kindness Index shows that more than half (54%) of people don’t feel confident about what to do if they find sick or injured wildlife.
While many animals need specialist support, there are lots of small wildlife and pets which people can safely help themselves. Of these, hedgehogs were the wild animals most likely to need public help with 1,551 entering RSPCA centres in 2025, followed by wood pigeons (1,491), feral pigeons (575), mallard ducks (551) and blackbirds (369).
The RSPCA said that often people don’t realise the fastest way to get a small animal help is to take them to a local vet.
So as part of the animal welfare charity’s Summer of Kindness, the RSPCA is encouraging everyone to take part in its Seven Kind Acts for animals – including helping small wild animals and pets in need by creating a rescue box.
A new training video, starring young conservationist and RSPCA ambassador Aneeshwar Kunchala, shows budding young animal lovers how to show kindness and create their own box, ready to step in and help any animals in need they might come across – and it’s the perfect activity for dads to get involved in with the kids this Father’s Day.
RSPCA wildlife expert Rebecca Machin said: “The RSPCA Kindness Index shows that while many people want to do their bit, many would struggle to know what to do if they came across an animal in need.
“Anyone can find out what to do if they find a sick or injured animal who needs help. Learning how to safely handle small wildlife or pets and building a rescue box to keep in your car can make a big difference for animals.
“No matter where in the country you are, there are so many different animals that share our environment – being kind to animals is about taking care of every kind of creature, and at the RSPCA we want to make the months ahead a Summer of Kindness.
“We know that kind acts, however small, combine to create a more compassionate world. There are so many ways you can show your kindness to animals this summer, and something as simple as having a rescue box ready to go could have a huge impact on your local wildlife. It’s also a great way for parents to get their little ones involved and encourage them to learn about animal welfare.
“These things make a real difference. Every kind act for animals is a vote for a better world for animals; and small, everyday gestures like this really do add up to a life-changing impact for us and other animals. We can’t do this alone, but we can if we act together.”
Amy Ockelford, who works for the RSPCA as a press officer, recently put her own rescue box to the test when she helped a rabbit with her three-year-old daughter Skye.
Amy said: “I was driving Skye back from her dance class in Suffolk last Saturday (13 June) when I spotted a rabbit huddled on the side of the road – it’s a fast road, and I was worried it might have been hit by a car, so I turned around, went back and pulled over to check.
“The rabbit was breathing and tried to scrabble away up the bank, but couldn’t – so I popped back to the car to grab my gloves and a box, gently picked him up and drove five minutes down the road to the vet.
“Skye asked if the animal doctor would make the bunny better – we’d rescued a mole last year and the vets were able to release him into a field behind their practice so I think she was hoping for another happy ending.
“Sadly, this time wasn’t such a happy ending – the vet said it was likely he had myxomatosis, and had to put him to sleep. But it was a much more humane ending than the one he would have faced if we hadn’t found him.
“I told Skye the vets gave him some medicine to put him into a deep sleep so he could go to heaven – she understands that, as that’s what we told her when our cat Jynx died.
“Skye was really involved in helping me take the bunny to the vet, and having my rescue box ready to go made it so easy.
“She’s only little but she loves animals and is so compassionate so having opportunities like this, to teach her about kindness towards animals, are really important. As parents, it’s so important that we start to teach our kids about kindness from a young age, and that’s exactly what the RSPCA’s Summer of Kindness is all about.”
