AN animal rescue charity is urging people to think twice before buying a small furry as a ‘starter pet’ for their children, as they reveal they are rescuing around 340 of them every month.

Rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, mice, ferrets, chinchillas and hamsters are often seen as an easy first pet for children and, as a result, thousands are bought around the country every day.

However, the RSPCA is warning people many smaller animals have complex needs and can be difficult to look after, with around 125 small pets being rescued last year by the charity in Lancashire alone.

A spokesman said: “We see thousands of small furries coming into our care every year and often this is as a result of owners being unable to cope with caring for these animals who they thought would be easy to look after.”

Nationally, volunteers and staff rescued over 4,000 small animals from cases of cruelty, neglect and abandonment.

Dr Jane Tyson, the RSPCA’s rabbit and rodent welfare expert, said: “Small furries can make great pets but they are often very misunderstood. One of the biggest issues we see with small pets such as these is people taking them on with little or no research, often buying them on impulse because their children have asked for them.

"This can lead to families struggling to cope once they realise the large amount of time, money and care these animals need.”