ANIMAL welfare inspectors from the RSPCA investigate four concerns each day across Warwickshire.
Among the some 1,300 complaints the charity received in the county in the past year have been a poorly foal straying in a dangerous road, a gerbil thrown into a skip, and a German Shepherd dog abandoned with a skin condition so bad his skin was actually rotting.
Nearly 700 calls were made about dogs, 350 relating to cats and around 150 about horses.
Warwickshire chief inspector Rebecca Cooper said: “Animal cruelty horrifies much of today’s society and this figure tells us that there are suffering animals in the county who need our help every day.
“We are very grateful to everyone who takes the time to raise concerns. A call from a member of the public not only helps to give a voice to animals in desperate need but it helps our officers investigate and help bring animal abusers to justice.
“It is shocking that people can be capable of such deliberate brutality towards animals, but equally it drives us on to ensure that perpetrators of animal cruelty are put before the courts.
“Either way, our officers are under increased pressure having to respond to more calls and investigate more complaints, but it is thanks to their dedication, as well as RSPCA staff and volunteers that we are able to transform the lives of thousands of animals in Warwickshire each year.”
The charity says it is seeing a ‘crisis’ in the number of horses needing to be rescued, with 1,000 saved by RSPCA inspectors across the country last year. Some 930 of these are still in the charity’s care.
The charity says officers are ‘routinely’ called out to to abandoned horses, with many of them extremely sick, dead or dying when officers arrive.
Across the UK the charity’s emergency line receives around 80 calls about horses every day.
It costs the RSPCA more than £3million per year to care for the horses, excluding veterinary costs.
The charity says the number of equines it is receiving complaints about is at the highest level for four years and is showing no signs of slowing down.
National equine co-ordinator Christine McNeil said: “Up and down England and Wales, horses are being found sick, dying or sometimes dead. It is frequently the case that they have been abandoned and left to die. This is very common and it’s a massive issue – a very sad one at that.
“We are constantly receiving calls to our cruelty line – on average 80 per day about horses alone across England and Wales – as well as messages every day on social media from very concerned and upset people asking for our help.”
Visit www.rspca.org.uk/suffering to find out more about supporting the charity.
Call 0300 1234 999 to report concerns about an animal’s welfare.
