Over 3,000 calls in 3 months for suspected animal beatings reports RSPCA

As part of its Cancel Out Cruelty campaign, the RSPCA has released alarming figures where members of the public had called to express concern for animal welfare this year.

Over a 3 month period, June 1 to August 31, the number of recorded telephone calls received surrounding suspected animal beatings exceeded 3,000, with an addition 421 calls from improper killings and 210 with suspected mutilations. In total there were 4,268 reports of intentional harm inflicted on animals.

The charity received 492,471 calls to its cruelty hotline over the Summer, including 271 calls about attempted killings, 3,059 calls about animals being beaten, 421 reports of improper killings, 181 reports of mutilations, and 304 reports of animals being harmed in suspicious circumstances.

RSPCA Chief Executive Chris Sherwood said:

For our frontline officers, rescuing animals from horrific circumstances never stops. We receive more incidents of deliberate harm to animals over the summer months than any other time of year, which is heartbreaking.

This is why we launched our Cancel Out Cruelty campaign this Summer, to raise awareness and help people to understand how they can support us to help animals in need. We are the only charity out on the frontline every day across England and Wales rescuing the animals who need us most and we’re grateful to everyone who helps keep us out on the road rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming.”

During the summer months, there have also been a number of RSPCA prosecutions coming before the courts which have seen animal abusers sentenced for their crimes towards animals.

These included:

• A man who subjected his dog and cats to such brutal violence they were left with fatal injuries was jailed for twenty weeks and banned from keeping animals for life.

• A man was sent to prison for 16 weeks and banned from keeping animals for life after he was found guilty of physically abusing a five-month-old puppy.

• Two people were handed suspended prison sentences and banned from owning equines for five years after admitting causing unnecessary suffering to an 11-month old pony. The young horse was subjected to kicks and blows and was forcibly pinned to the ground. Footage also showed them inflicting blows from a piece of piping and a riding crop.

• A man was banned from keeping dogs for ten years after being found guilty of repeatedly beating and kicking his two dogs.

• A man and a woman were disqualified from keeping animals for five years after they were found guilty of beating their dog and failing to have his injuries treated by a vet.

Chris Sherwood added:

There is no place for cruelty to animals in today’s society and we urge anyone who has concerns for an animal to call the RSPCA’s emergency line on 0300 1234 999.

We are so grateful to people who report suspected animal suffering to us. The public are our eyes and ears as we work together to help improve animal welfare and promote animal kindness.”

The RSPCA’s Cancel Out Cruelty campaign aims to raise funds to keep its rescue teams on the frontline saving animals in desperate need of help as well as raising awareness about how we can all work together to stamp out cruelty for good.

The charity’s rescue teams need support to stay out on the frontline as the only charity rescuing animals and investigating cruelty.

• £6 could help pay to feed a dog for a day in our care

• £10 could help pay towards bandages for a cat or dog

• £15 could help pay for a cat or dog’s clinical exam

• £20 could help pay towards a bird catching kit

• £30 could help pay for a life jacket for an inspector

• £100 could help pay towards water rescue equipment

• £500 could kit out a 4×4 inspector van

To donate to the Cancel Out Cruelty campaign and help continue to rescue animals in need, visit www.rspca.org.uk/stopcruelty.

You can also help Cancel Out Cruelty by volunteering for the RSPCA, becoming a campaigner to help change the law for animals for the better, by becoming a fundraiser for the RSPCA, by learning more about animals through our Compassionate Families programme, buying a Cancel Out Cruelty T-shirt and showing it off on social media, or by pledging to help animals in other ways, such as learning more about your pets’ needs, or learning how to help wildlife.

Feature image for illustration only.

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Suzanne Ashton

Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.