The RSPCA report that there has been a rise in dog cruelty and abuse for the second year in a row in the UK. The charity confirmed that they had 9,776 reports of intentional harm to dogs in 2022 compared to 8,176 in 2021. In 2020 there were 7,691 cases of intentional harm to dogs. Twenty-seven dogs are intentionally harmed each day in the UK. The kind of harm inflicted includes poisoning, beating, mutilation and killing.
These are remarkable statistics when you bear in mind these two factors:
- The dog is said to be ‘man’s best friend’ (woke version: ‘our best friend’) and
- the UK is said to be a nation of animal lovers.
Above I have listed statistics to do with intentional harm. If you bring into the equation neglect and abandonments: in 2022 there were 42,690 abandonments which represents a 7% increase on 2021 when there were 39,797 abandonments.
The RSPCA say that in the summer months cases of animal cruelty rise. In 2022 the charity is ready for one of their busiest times of year.
Dermot Murphy heads the frontline RSPCA rescue officers. He said that:
“For hundreds of years dogs have been known as man’s best friend and if you share your home with one, you will know why, as there are such loyal and loving companions. But these awful statistics tell a different story. Dogs are the most abused animal in this country and we investigate more complaints about them than any other type of animal: 27 dogs a day are cruelly treated, one every hour.”
Dermot Murphy
