Animal cruelty is rising in Bristol, with the number of reports increasing by 19%
It comes as the RSPCA launches it's Cancel out Cruelty campaign, that raises awareness of the issue and aims to stop cruelty to animals for good
Last updated 4th Jul 2023
We're hearing that the RSPCA in Bristol is preparing for its busiest year of animal cruelty, as new figures show the issue is on the rise.
In Bristol, there's been a 19% increase in the number of reports of intentional harm against animals compared to the same period in 2021, with 85 reports in the city region last year.
It comes as the RSPCA launches it's Cancel out Cruelty campaign, that raises awareness of the issue and aims to stop cruelty to animals for good.
The national figures, exclusively released by the RSPCA, shows:
- In 2022 the charity saw a 22% increase in reports of beatings (9,658 in 2022, compared to 7,857 in 2021) that’s 26 every day.
- The number of beatings reported to the RSPCA in 2022 peaked in August, when 1,081 reports were received - a staggering 35 a day
- The number of animals killed in ‘suspicious circumstances’ increased in 2022 by 15% from by 2021 (891 in 2022, compared to 775 in 2021)
- 77% of all cruelty complaints reported to the charity 2022 were beatings
Animal cruelty is happening 'on a massive scale and rising'
Jenny Ride, RSPCA chief inspector for Bristol, said: “Right now, animal cruelty is happening in England and Wales on a massive scale and rising and sadly the number of cruelty incidents in Bristol are also too high. It is heartbreaking that we are seeing figures which show animal cruelty is, very sadly, on the rise.
“While we don’t know for certain why there has been an increase in reports of cruelty, the cost of living crisis and the post-pandemic world we live in has created an animal welfare crisis with more people getting pets with potentially less time and money to care for them.
“Each year, these reports of cruelty reach its terrible annual peak in the summer months – when nationally we receive a report of an animal being beaten on average every hour of every day.
“The cost-of-living crisis also means the cost of rescuing animals is at an all-time high and our vital services are stretched to the limit.”
It is not known why reports of animal cruelty peak in the summer months although factors like animal abuse being more visible as people are outdoors more, could be one factor.
A 'completely senseless' airgun attack fatally injured two herring gulls in the Westcountry
In Somerset, the number of animal cruelty incidents has jumped by a staggering 40%, with the animal charity saying 220 reports were made last year.
Two herring gulls were discovered in the gardens of two properties in Bridgwater, the RSPCA reports. One had been shot in the wing and was already dead when the charity’s animal rescue officer Alison Sparkes attended.
The second gull had a wound to the upper chest area and was so badly injured that the animal had to be put to sleep to prevent further suffering.
X-rays taken at the RSPCA’s West Hatch Wildlife Centre in Taunton confirmed that both of the birds had been shot with an airgun, with pellets clearly visible on the scans.
Gulls, their eggs and their nests are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and it is illegal to intentionally kill, take or injure them, except under licence.
Alison said: “Both birds appear to have been deliberately shot and sustained horrible injuries as a result.
“Sadly, completely senseless attacks like this are not an uncommon occurrence for RSPCA officers and it beggars belief that people are callously targeting animals in this way with absolutely no regard for the suffering these weapons cause.
'We can and will cancel out cruelty to animals'
The RSPCA is the only charity rescuing animals and investigating cruelty in England and Wales with a team of frontline rescue officers, specialist vet teams and a network of animal care centres and 140 branches providing rehabilitation to animal victims.
The charity has launched its Cancel Out Cruelty campaign, to raise funds to help its frontline rescue teams continue to save animals from cruelty and abuse and to raise awareness about how to stop cruelty to animals for good.
Jenny, from the animal charity, added: “Together, we believe we can and will cancel out cruelty to animals by replacing violence with kindness. We are urging people to donate to our Cancel Out Cruelty campaign, every donation will help animals.”