Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Dog cruelty on the rise since Covid pandemic as RSPCA gets 10 reports of abuse an hour

Officers have received reports of dogs being burned, drowned and poisoned

Thomas Kingsley
Wednesday 03 August 2022 09:28 BST
Comments
Puppy Chance was abandoned in Liverpool
Puppy Chance was abandoned in Liverpool (RSPCA)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

There has been a surge in animal cruelty since the start of the coronavirus pandemic with 10 reports of dog abuse an hour, new RSPCA figures have revealed.

According to the findings, 92,244 dogs were reported to the RSPCA last year as victims of cruelty, amounting to 253 a day, including 10,228 dogs that were reported as beaten.

Reports of dog abuse have increased 16 per cent since 2020 and with more people becoming dog owners during lockdown, animal welfare charity Cancel Out Cruelty, is concerned the number of cruelty incidents involving canines will increase - particularly in the summer when it traditionally sees a surge in calls to its cruelty line.

Watson was abandoned in a rucksack in a Berkshire woodland
Watson was abandoned in a rucksack in a Berkshire woodland (RSPCA)

The RSPCA is also worried more dogs will fall victim to abuse and abandonment as the cost of living crisis takes hold adding financial pressures on pet owners.

RSPCA dog welfare expert, Dr Samantha Gaines said officers have dealt with dogs that have been stabbed, burned, drowned and some who have been left to die of starvation.

“Every year, we see many dogs coming into our care bearing the physical and mental scars that were inflicted at the hands of the very people who were meant to keep them safe and love them unconditionally,” Dr Gaines said.

“During the summer we see a rise in cruelty and this year as we've seen such a massive increase in dog ownership since lockdown, we're bracing ourselves for even more reports.”

She added: “The cost-of-living crisis has added a further dimension and we believe we could see people really struggling to care for their pets, which may lead them to lash out or could see more animals being abandoned.”

There are now an estimated 13 million dog owners in the UK - up from 12.5 million the year before and from 9 million in 2020, according to the Pet Food Manufacturing Report, with lockdown causing an unprecedented surge in demand.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in