RSPCA says litter is harming Bucks, Beds and Herts wildlife
New figures show animals are being harmed by public littering
Last updated 1st Apr 2022
New figures from the RSPCA show that the charity received roughly 7,500 calls over the last two years about animals affected by litter.
Calls reported animals being mutilated, choked or even killed by rubbish in public and private spaces.
In Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire, the RSPCA received over 60 calls in both counties about animals affected by litter in 2021. In Bedfordshire, 23 calls were made last year about animals harmed by waste.
RSPCA Scientific Officer, Evie Button, says “we see a really wide range of animals being affected by litter, and often it’s things that you don't think would be litter.
“So we’ve been called out to rescue birds who try to fly the next but have got ribbon tied to their feet, or fox cubs tangled in netting, swans with fish hooks or lines around their legs.
“So it really can be a huge range of types of litter, and a huge range of animals. But in all of these cases these could all have been prevented which is really frustrating.”
The RSPCA are now launching a campaign to tackle this. Evie says it's easy for local communities to get invovled
“One of the most important things people can do is take part in the Great British Spring Clean,” she says.
“There might be litter picks that are being organized by community groups near you. Or you could set up your own.
“It’s amazing how much you can find even on a short walk when you start to look a bit closer. And every single piece of litter you pick up could save an animal’s life.”