'Heartbreaking' rise in animal cruelty reports in West Midlands as charity launches campaign

There were 684 reports of intentional harm against animals made to the RSPCA last year across the region, compared to 537 in 2021 – an increase of 27 per cent.

Charity bosses have called the rise "heartbreaking" and said the cost of living crisis and post-pandemic world had created an "animal welfare crisis", with more people getting pets but having potentially less time and money to care for them.

Overall, the number of reports made nationally to the charity’s cruelty line about intentional harm to animals – including beatings, mutilations such as ear cropping, poisonings and even killings – has increased by 14 per cent, with 12,582 reported last year compared to 11,012 reports in 2021.

Once such incident reported included an abandoned dog which died while waiting to be found in remote woodland in Stourbridge.

The dog’s body was found by a member of the public who contacted the animal welfare charity.

It is thought the dog, which was a grey and white XL bully-type, was alive when he was left tied to the tree but died in sub-zero temperatures when he wasn’t found.

RSPCA inspector Thea Kerrison, who investigated, said: “This was a truly heartbreaking incident and it is so upsetting to think that this poor dog died alone while waiting to be discovered.

"The area where he was abandoned is remote and he was tied to a tree which wasn’t near a pathway, so whoever did this cruel act likely did so with the intention of the dog not being found.”

The charity is bracing for one of its busiest summers this year as it expects another summer of suffering, with more people reporting cruelty to animals from July to September.

It 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.

National figures show that in 2022 the charity saw a 22 per cent increase in reports of beatings – 9,658 in 2022, compared to 7,857 in 2021.

John Grant, RSPCA chief inspector for the West Midlands, 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 the West Midlands 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.

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.

John 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.”

Visit rspca.org.uk/stopcruelty