RSPCA appealing to cancel out cat cruelty

New ​figures released today (Wednesday) by the RSPCA as part of its Cancel Out Cruelty campaign have revealed 385 cat cruelty complaints were made in Lincolnshire in 2022.

Last year, there were almost 18,000 cat cruelty complaints reported to the RSPCA across the country, of which 1,726 were intentional harm incidents – a 25 percent increase from 2021 when the number was 1,387.

The charity has released the heartbreaking figures as part of its Cancel Out Cruelty campaign, in a bid to raise funds to help its frontline rescue teams continue to save animals from cruelty and abuse.

The animal welfare charity sees cruelty peak in the summer, with three reports made every minute.

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 cost-of-living crisis is also thought to be a contributing factor to an increase in deliberate harm to animals, at a time when the cost of rescuing animals is at an all-time high and the RSPCA’s services are stretched to the limit.

Rebecca Lowe, Chief Inspector for Lincolnshire said: “Right now, animal cruelty is happening in England and Wales on a massive scale and rising. It is heartbreaking that we are seeing such sad figures which show animal cruelty is, very sadly, on the rise.

“While we don’t know for certain why there has been an increase, the cost of living crisis and the post-pandemic world we live in has created an animal welfare crisis.

“Each year, these reports reach its terrible annual peak in the summer months. 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.”

“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.”

You can make a donation to the RSPCA’s Cancel Out Cruelty campaign by visiting http://www.rspca.org.uk/cruelty