Animal welfare costs approach £1bn as RSPCA calls for government support
New research estimates that tackling animal abuse and neglect costs Great Britain up to £991 million annually, prompting calls for greater support for pet owners and animal welfare charities.
The UK Government must do more to support pet owners and animal welfare charities, the RSPCA has urged, following research estimating that responding to illegal animal abuse and neglect costs society almost £1 billion each year.
The report, The Cost of Reported Illegal Animal Abuse and Neglect in Great Britain, was prepared by WPI Economics for the independent Animal Welfare Evidence Centre. It estimates annual costs of between £830 million and £991 million, with charities and public donations shouldering the largest share.
The RSPCA says the findings highlight the need for preventative measures to reduce animal suffering and ease pressure on services responding to cases of cruelty and neglect.
Charities carry the financial burden
According to the report, taxpayer-funded bodies, including police forces, courts and local authorities, spend between £93 million and £141 million annually responding to animal offences. Animal welfare charities bear a considerably larger burden, spending an estimated £730 million to £844 million each year on emergency responses, animal care and prevention.
Researchers warn that these figures are conservative estimates, excluding unreported cruelty, unrecorded incidents and wider social costs.
Thomas Schultz-Jagow, RSPCA Executive Director of Advocacy and Prevention and Advisory Board Chair for the Evidence Centre, said the research had quantified the financial impact of animal harm on an unprecedented scale.
“For the first time, we can now put a figure to the staggering financial toll that animal harm takes on Great Britain. And we can see it is the public carrying this burden – either through their taxes or through their generous donations to charities,” he said.
He added that much of this spending could be avoided, or redirected towards animal welfare, if preventable harm were addressed earlier.
Cost pressures threaten animal welfare
The findings come amid continuing cost-of-living pressures, with many pet owners concerned about affording essential care.
The RSPCA’s Animal Kindness Index found that 56% of pet owners worried about paying veterinary bills, while 18% were concerned about the cost of pet food.
The survey also found that 10% of pet owners routinely used artificial intelligence (AI) for pet-care advice. The charity has raised concerns that some owners may rely on online guidance instead of seeking necessary veterinary attention.
While some cases involve deliberate cruelty, the RSPCA says others concern neglect that develops when owners delay treatment or struggle to meet the costs of caring for their animals.
The charity is calling for targeted VAT relief on essential pet food and veterinary care, alongside statutory funding for community pet food banks.
It also wants local authorities to receive support to meet their pet protection responsibilities. This could include arranging temporary boarding or foster care when an owner living alone is unexpectedly admitted to hospital and has nobody available to care for their animals.
Schultz-Jagow said: “We cannot simply react our way out of an animal welfare crisis – and more governmental support could really help owners before neglect happens in the first place.”
The RSPCA wants these measures considered in the Chancellor’s upcoming Budget, arguing that early intervention could help families continue caring for their pets and prevent avoidable suffering.
Rescue centres face rising costs
Animal welfare charities are also under mounting operational pressure, with many rescue centres reportedly operating at capacity while managing higher energy bills, veterinary supply costs and general running expenses.
The RSPCA has highlighted increased Employer National Insurance Contributions as a further challenge for charities already struggling to maintain frontline services.
Schultz-Jagow said welfare organisations provided a crucial public service by taking in neglected animals that might otherwise place additional pressure on under-resourced local authorities.
He called on the Government to review how charities could be protected from escalating costs, ensuring more resources remained available for rescue, rehabilitation and prevention.
The RSPCA is also urging the Welsh Government to take action to protect pet owners facing similar financial pressures.
Prevention a priority
Established in 2025, the Animal Welfare Evidence Centre brings together the RSPCA, Compassion in World Farming, FOUR PAWS UK and Humane World for Animals UK. Hosted by the RSPCA and led by Chief of Research Dr Jennifer Maher, it is supported by an initial £11 million, 10-year funding commitment from the Katherine Martin Charitable Trust and the RSPCA.
The Centre uses research from fields including psychology, economics and behavioural science to investigate why people harm animals and how that harm can be prevented.
Emily Wilson, Head of Programmes at FOUR PAWS UK, said the findings demonstrated the need to address the causes of animal suffering rather than continually paying for its consequences.
“Prevention must be at the heart of animal welfare policy,” she said, calling for earlier intervention, stronger protections and enforcement, and action to tackle the underlying causes of animal harm.
The research highlights the scale of resources required to respond to cruelty and neglect across Great Britain. The RSPCA argues that greater support for owners, alongside measures to protect overstretched charities, could help prevent animals reaching crisis point and reduce the long-term financial burden on society.
Feature image: Photo by Lucia Macedo