Almost 200 calls made to RSPCA about animals affected by litter across Hampshire and Wiltshire
The charity's pleading with people to pick up their litter
Last updated 25th Mar 2021
New figures reveal that the RSPCA took nearly 4,000 calls about animals affected by litter in 2020 with 172 of those coming from people in Hampshire and Wiltshire.
Despite people being in lockdown for many months the RSPCA still received more than 10 calls a day about animals affected by litter including:
- A duck tangled in a medical face mask
- A baby hedgehog with plastic wrapped around her neck
- A fox with his head caught in an old Cornish pasty wrapper
- A gannet entangled in plastic
The animal welfare charity is urging people to help protect animals by picking up any litter they see lying around as well as ensuring they take their litter home with them or disposing of it properly and responsibly.
Head of the RSPCA's wildlife department Adam Grogan said:
"Our staff deal with thousands of incidents every year where animals have been impacted by litter - and they're the ones that we know of. I'm sure for every animal we're able to help there are many that go unseen, unreported and may even lose their lives."
"Litter is one of the biggest hazards our wildlife faces today and the pandemic has just added to the problem with many disposable masks just being discarded on the ground. These are a new danger to animals and we've been called out to rescue animals like ducks and gulls caught up in the masks' elastic straps."
DISCARDED FISHING TACKLE A BIG PROBLEM
As well as everyday rubbish, the RSPCA also sees many animals arriving into its care with terrible injuries caused by angling litter such as discarded fishing line and hooks to plastic netting.
Nearly 40% of all litter-related calls to the RSPCA last year were about animals that had specifically become caught in fishing litter, from a seal being strangled by old fishing net to dozens of swans who swallowed or were pierced by old fishing hooks or became entangled in fishing line.
Earlier this month a dog accidentally swallowed a fishing hook left on the banks of the River Avon in Salisbury.
You can read more on Tara's lucky escape on our website.
Adam added:
"Animals who get their heads or necks stuck in litter can suffer severe injuries as they struggle to break free and can even suffocate, while others will slowly grow weaker and weaker as they try to hunt or find food or water. "
"Others will get fishing line or netting cutting deep into their skin, affecting circulation and with wounds becoming seriously infected. These hazards can very quickly become a matter of life or death for these animals and action is urgently needed to tackle this problem head-on. It's up to every one of us to do our bit in the war against litter."
Adam added:
"The majority of anglers do dispose of their litter properly and it is frustrating that those who don't possibly don't realise how dangerous it is to animals. Discarded line in particular is a terrible hazard for wildlife, particularly as it can be almost invisible."
LITTER PICKING
The RSPCA is urging people to people to get involved in the Great British Spring Clean which runs from the 28th May to June 13th.
Meanwhile Wiltshire Council say people can take part in organised group litter picks in the county from 29 March, so long as they stick to the Rule of 6 and maintain social distancing.
Anyone that wishes to pick litter in their local area, should either dispose of it in their usual home kerbside waste and recycling collection services, or if they're planning a large litter pick, they should contact streetscene@wiltshire.gov.uk a week before the litter pick to arrange a suitable collection point. People should not leave it next to public litter bins for collection.
Meanwhile a big litter clean up has begun on the county's roads.
Wiltshire Council revealed over 130 bags of litter have been collected from the A303.