157 reports of intentional harm against animals in Surrey
There's been an increase nationally in the number of reports to the RSPCA
The RSPCA have revealed that they received 157 reports of intentional harm against animals in the county last year.
They are bracing for a summer of suffering, with more people typically reporting cruelty between July and September.
There are fears that the cost of living crisis may be a reason why there's been an increase in reports.
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.
The national figures, 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) which is 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) and 77% of all cruelty complaints reported to the charity 2022 were beatings.
Chloe Wilson is an Animal Rescue Officer in Surrey - she said that they can't say exactly what's caused the rise in cases.
"We can't say for sure what it is but there's many things that is affecting it. Cost of living is a huge one, and then the aftermath of the pandemic. People bought lots of pets, they don't have money so they can't necessarily cope with the needs of looking after an animal."
Cruelty incident in Surrey
Two puppies were rescued from a car that had been abandoned in a supermarket car park in Surrey.
Concerns were raised about the puppies who were shut inside a crate in the back of a car parked in the car park at Tesco in Caterham in June last year. It was suggested the pups may have been in the car for at least 24 hours.
Local vets were able to attend and get the puppies out via a partially open window and took them to their clinic to check them over.
An owner made contact with the vets and claimed they were their dogs but never attended to collect them.
The two 10-week-old Labrador crosses were named Bow and Bandit and were rehomed by the RSPCA.