27 Jul 2023
New figures have revealed a sharp increase in reported cases with five cats being deliberately harmed every day last year.
Allister Webb
Job Title
The RSPCA has warned it is facing animal cruelty “on a massive scale” after publishing new figures showing a rapid increase in cases.
The charity wants to highlight the rapid rise in incidents of harm – specifically against cats – and has released images of a cat that had to undergo multiple surgeries after having boiling water poured over its head.
The warning is part of the RSPCA’s Cancel Out Cruelty campaign, which aims to raise funds to extend the work of frontline officers tackling the abuse of animals.
RSPCA inspectorate commissioner Dermot Murphy said pandemic trends and economic pressures had created an “animal welfare crisis”.
Mr Murphy added: “Right now, animal cruelty is happening in England and Wales on a massive scale – and rising.
“Each year, these reports reach its terrible annual peak in the summer months, when an animal is 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.”
According to latest figures, a total of 1,726 reports of intentional harm to cats were made to the RSPCA last year.
That figure represents a 25% rise on the total for 2021 and the equivalent of nearly five separate incidents every day.
Among the victims was Benny, a cat that was rescued by RSPCA officers in Greater Manchester after suffering extensive scald wounds when boiling water was poured over him.
He remained in RSPCA care for six months after being rescued, spending time on a drip in an isolation pod and undergoing six separate operations on his injuries, which included some of his claws falling off.
Sam Gaines, who leads the RSPCA’s companion animal department, said its figures suggest cats are the second most abused pet after dogs.
She said: “It is heart-breaking to think that five cats every day are suffering at the hands of humans – it really is appalling – but sadly the RSPCA knows all too well that this cruelty is carried out on a regular basis.”
More than three-quarters (77%) of all cruelty complaints reported to the RSPCA in 2022 were beatings and the overall number of beating reports climbed by 22% to 9.658.
August was also the peak month for reports of animals being beaten with 35 cases a day, while the number of animals killed in suspicious circumstances rose by 15% to 891.
More information about the campaign is available on the RSPCA website.
