Increase in animals needing help in the SW

Figures released today (23 March) by the RSPCA reveal that people being convicted for cruelty in many areas of the South West is on the rise, whilst the number of animals being rescued is also increasing across the region.

Courts in the South West have seen an increase in the number of people convicted for crimes relating to animal welfare, particularly in some of the larger counties. In seven out of 13 counties in the RSPCA’s South West region there was an increase in the number of people being convicted in prosecutions taken by the RSPCA. In both Hampshire and Somerset, there was a rise from 16 to 21 convictions.

Rescues in the region are also on the rise and some areas have seen a significant increase in the number of animals being collected and brought into the RSPCA’s care. In Devon the number of animals needing RSPCA help went up from 3,700 in 2014 to 4,000 animals last year. One of these animals was 15-year-old Pudding - an elderly shih tzu dumped in the cold in Plymouth over Christmas with fur so matted that he couldn’t even see the person who had abandoned him. Thanks to the RSPCA, Pudding now lives out his days in the countryside with a loving couple in Devon and their family of rescued animals.

Dogs like Pudding are also the animal that were at the top of the list of RSPCA investigations in the South West last year. The charity’s annual cruelty statistics show that almost 54% of complaints investigated*** by the RSPCA in the region in 2015 related to dogs****. This compares to nearly 24% of investigations related to cats  - the second most abused pet.

There were more than 12,000 investigations in the South West into cruelty towards the pet commonly thought of as our most loyal companion - more than double the number of investigations into cats, of which there were 5,730.

Dermot Murphy, Assistant Director for the Inspectorate, said: “People think of dogs as man’s best friend but these statistics tell a different story. They are by far the most abused animal in this country and we investigate more complaints about them than any other species.

“The stories in this report show a snapshot of the horrific level of cruelty we have seen in the last year, which have to be some the most extreme cases I have ever heard of.”

The number of owners who were offered and accepted animal welfare advice has shown a general increase, with 81,475 accepting advice in 2015 compared to approximately 78,000 in 2007. This trend is reflected in many parts of the South West, with a rise of people in places like Gloucestershire receiving advice on animal welfare (1,433 in contrast to just 1,239 last year). Other areas and counties that have shown an increase in advice being issued to owners are Berkshire, Bristol, Somerset and Worcestershire.

Dermot Murphy added: “It is encouraging that some of the figures are down on last year and that the numbers of complaints being dealt with by education and advice are going up, as we would always much rather improve animal welfare by giving advice to owners if at all possible.

“Yet even if some of the overall numbers are lower, the level of depravity we have seen in 2015 cases are up there with some of the most extreme we have ever known.”