Seven face jail over dog fight

September 20, 2007, 4:30 am

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Seven men convicted of involvement in the largest organised dog fight uncovered since 1990 were facing jail amid fears the blood sport is growing in popularity.

The RSPCA said the discovery of a total of 26 men at the contest at a kitchen showroom in February last year was further evidence of an apparent revival in dog fighting.

A three-week trial at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court was told that those caught at the fight in the Alum Rock area of the city were herded onto a double-decker bus to be taken away for questioning.

Some of the men later claimed to be attending a Blues party, while one asserted that the fighting pit occupied by two pit bull terriers was in fact a dancefloor.

Speaking after ten men were convicted of various offences in relation to the “sadistic” event, a member of the RSPCA’s Special Operations Unit described it as one of the most gruelling and highly-attended… Read the full story

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‘Unprecedented’ rise in dog fights

October 2, 2009, 8:25 pm

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A surge in dog fighting is leaving unprecedented numbers of the animals with serious injuries, the RSPCA has warned.

The charity said a new wave of what is known as chain fighting, or rolling, has seen increasing numbers of badly-injured dogs needing treatment.

The practice sees young men gather in “ad-hoc” places like parks where they hold two animals on chains and egg them on to fight. Rottweilers or Staffordshire bull terriers are often used.

Vet David Grant, director of the RSPCA’s Harmsworth Animal Hospital… Read the full story

RSPCA in cash crisis as cruelty cases rise in pet prosecutions

April 23, 2012, 11:39 am

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The RSPCA claims it is close to ‘breaking point’ because of a slump in donations and a significant rise in the number of pet owners convicted of cruelty.

Britain’s leading animal welfare charity successfully took 1,340 people to court last year – up by almost 25 per cent on 2010 – at a record cost of £4.7million.

The charity says it is facing a funding crisis, having seen costs go up while the amount of money left to them in wills has plunged.

Head of prosecutions Sally Case said the organisation was ‘struggling to continue’, while chief executive Gavin Grant warned the charity ‘faces a crisis that is stretching us to breaking point’.

About £59million was left in legacies in 2010 – down… Read the full story

Rabbits should eat hay not carrots or lettuce, says RSPCA

June 24, 2012, 8:58 am

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Loony Tunes creation Bugs Bunny constantly chewed a carrot while trying to escape the clutches of Elmer Fudd but they should not be a regular part of a real rabbit’s meals, said the RSPCA.

And, despite its ‘rabbit food’ nickname, salad and iceberg lettuce should definitely be off the menu too.

The advice comes as the animal welfare organisation launches a campaign to stop owners trying to feed their pets like Bugs and give them more hay instead.

A lack of grass and hay in their diet has led to an increase in the  numbers of rabbits treated by vets, said the RSPCA, which commissioned the research from the University of Bristol.

The research found 11 per cent of pet rabbits suffer tooth… Read the full story

RSPCA rescues ’embarrassed’ fox with head trapped in floor

August 31, 2012, 12:02 pm

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The RSPCA has rescued an ’embarrassed’ fox that had got its head stuck in the floor of an office at the University of Hertfordshire.

Builders discovered the animal’s head poking out of a hole in a floorboard when they arrived to carry out renovation work on the room at the institution’s de Havilland campus in Hatfield.

It is believed the fox had been trapped under the floor and spotted the hole as a possible escape route, only to discover it was not big enough for its body to fit through.

The builders called in the RSPCA to organise the rescue, and animal welfare officer Kate Wright admitted… Read the full story

RSPCA spent ‘staggering’ £330,000 on fox hunting case

December 17, 2012, 1:05 pm

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A judge has said he was staggered the RSPCA spent nearly £330,000 prosecuting David Cameron’s hunt.

Tim Pattinson, a district judge, said it wasn’t his place to offer an opinion but that members of the public could ask if the animal charity could better spend its money.

He spoke after the Heythrop hunt, based in Oxfordshire, pleaded guilty to four charges of intentionally hunting a fox with dogs on land in the Cotswolds. Former huntsman Julian Barnfield, 49, and recently retired hunt master Richard Sumner, 68, also pleaded guilty to the same charges.

Mr Cameron, MP… Read the full story

Gallery: RSPCA annual report reveals 33 per cent rise in animal cruelty convictions

April 30, 2013, 3:55 am

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Convictions for animal neglect and cruelty rose by 33.8 per cent in England and Wales last year, the RSPCA has reported.

The RSPCA said the number of people convicted had increased by 15.7 per cent, noting it was possible for an individual to get more than one conviction.

RSPCA chief executive Gavin Grant called on judges to take these offences ‘far more seriously’, as he admitted staff and volunteers were struggling against a ‘growing animal cruelty crisis’.

‘For us, prosecution is always the last resort. Our inspectors investigated 150,833 suspected cruelty cases and issued 78,090 advice notices last year – these are extremely effective in improving the care of animals,’ he said.

‘However if there is evidence of a crime and serious animal abuse then we will take legal action to protect the animals and prevent further abuse.’

There has been a sharp increase in the number on animals found abandoned (Picture: Rui Vieira/PA Wire)

File photo dated 29/04/13 of… Read the full story

Pair given suspended jail sentences after cramming 87 cats into their home

June 10, 2013, 2:47 pm

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A mother and daughter crammed 87 cats into their home – with some found living in the ceiling space.

When they were discovered, 13 of the pets – belonging to Margaret and Kara Foster – were so ill they had to be put to sleep.

RSPCA inspectors were called to the home when neighbours complained about the smell, a court heard.

Insp Sally Kearns said: ‘It was absolutely unbearable to see. The cats had not been neutered and the situation had spiralled out of control.

‘There were far too many cats for anyone to care for properly.’

The RSPCA visited the Fosters in March last year but was not allowed full access… Read the full story

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Dog ‘is punched and thrown at wall’ while walking in Lewisham

June 24, 2013, 8:04 am

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This CCTV image shows a man casually walking with what seems to be his pet dog in Lewisham, south London.

Seconds later, however, he allegedly attacked the animal – punching it and throwing it against a wall.

Recorded at Ladywell rail station at about 2pm on June 6, the footage has prompted the RSPCA to appeal to the public for any information which can identify the man.

‘He appears to hold the dog down before throwing him/her against the wall at the station,’ the animal charity’s website says. ‘And further footage showed him appearing to punch the animal.’

The clips show the man to… Read the full story

Animals being dumped in ‘alarming’ numbers says RSPCA

June 26, 2013, 12:35 am

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Animals are being dumped ‘like rubbish’ in increasing numbers as Britons feel the financial squeeze, the RSPCA has warned.

More than 37,000 animals were dumped across England and Wales in the past year – a rise of 9,000, or 34 per cent, from the previous year according to the RSPCA.

The charity received a call asking for help every 30 seconds as part of what it calls the ‘alarming’ trend.

Financial problems are cited as one of the reasons people are getting rid of their pets, according to the welfare organisation.

RSPCA deputy chief inspector Ben Strangwood said: ‘It’s bad enough when we find a box of kittens wrapped in… Read the full story

Hello, RSPCA? My car has broken down and I think I just saw Bigfoot

July 11, 2013, 2:29 am

≫ Next: Pets in West Midlands are most neglected in the country says RSPCA

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Your car has just broken down, so you might choose to phone a breakdown service.

One hapless motorist opted for an organisation of a different variety, telling the operator the police had advised him to call the RSPCA.

‘We explained they probably meant RAC,’ the animal rescue charity said – warning its lines are being inundated by similarly ridiculous calls.

One caller wanted help teaching her dog the Green Cross Code and another complained about not being able to get the cat in.

The RSPCA, which said calls to its 24-hour cruelty line have increased by 65 per cent since January, said one caller claimed to have spotted Bigfoot, while… Read the full story

Pets in West Midlands are most neglected in the country says RSPCA

July 15, 2013, 12:17 pm

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Pets in the West Midlands are the most neglected in the country, figures reveal.

In less than two months, 507 abandoned animals were discovered in the region, according to statistics from the RSPCA.

The second most unhappy part of the country for animals is Hampshire, with 338 pets abandoned, followed by London, with 304.

Top of the league of animal lovers is Rutland, which saw only two abandonments in May and June, while Powys and the Isle of Wight had just eight each.

In 2012, the RSPCA received more than a million phone calls, rescued and collected almost 200,000 animals – and received a call asking for help every 30 seconds.

The charity sees a sharp… Read the full story

Criticising RSPCA over cruelty cases like wanting paedophiles to escape justice, says Queen guitarist Brian May

August 22, 2013, 12:43 pm

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Criticising the RSPCA for pursuing cruelty cases is like wanting paedophiles to escape justice, Queen guitarist Brian May has said.

The only difference between critics of the charity and child abusers, he argued, was that in RSPCA cases ‘the creatures involved are non-human’.

May, the vice-president of the RSPCA, spoke out as the charity comes under pressure accused of spending thousands on prosecutions to raise its profile.

Writing on the SaveMe campaign website, he said: ‘Imagine that the NSPCC succeeded in prosecuting a team of… Read the full story

RSPCA appeal after duck survives crossbow attack

September 17, 2013, 7:21 am

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RSPCA officials are attempting to track down a duck that was shot in the neck with a crossbow dart in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire.

Officers from the animal welfare charity want to locate the female mallard so they can remove the protruding blue bolt.

They believe the bird was shot ‘intentionally’ around three weeks ago and are worried the injury could become infected.

RSPCA inspectors have been out seven times over the past few weeks to try to catch the duck.

The plucky animal appears not to be in pain and is flying, feeding, running and generally behaving in a normal way.

But it appears intent on avoiding being caught and flies… Read the full story

RSPCA appeals for information after horse dumped in field with horrific leg injury

October 16, 2013, 3:58 am

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The RSPCA is appealing for information after a young horse was found dumped in a field with a horrific leg injury.

The skewbald yearling was found in a field off Naas Lane, in Brookthorpe, Gloucester, on Saturday.

The male horse had a large open and bleeding wound on his upper fore leg, a swollen elbow and the hoof on its right hind leg was coming away.

It is not known how long the horse had been lying collapsed in the field before being discovered.

RSPCA inspector Suzi Smith immediately called… Read the full story

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Bluewater cycling raccoon sparks animal rights row

October 29, 2013, 5:47 am

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A pet expo at Bluewater shopping centre has been criticised after pictures emerged of a bow tie-wearing raccoon riding a miniature bicycle.

The image was posted on Twitter by concerned ‘animal activist’ @AuraBytes, who also questioned the show’s theme of responsibility.

The RSPCA branded the stunt ‘demeaning and irresponsible’.

‘The RSPCA is shocked to learn that a raccoon was made to wear a bow tie and ride a bicycle at Bluewater Shopping Centre this weekend, and fears it could encourage others to host a similarly irresponsible show in the lead up to Christmas,’ a statement… Read the full story

Learn to love the spider this Halloween, urges RSPCA

October 29, 2013, 8:10 am

≫ Next: Scottish SPCA make appeal after unexplained disappearance of cats in Howgill

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With a nickname like ‘creepy crawly’ and fangs that inject venom, the eight-legged spider rarely wins any popularity contests.

Widespread reports of roaming false widow spiders biting humans have done little to help the arachnid’s reputation either, as Halloween fright night approaches.

The RSPCA wants to change the public’s perception of the arachnid, insisting they ‘are more scared of you than you of them’.

‘[There have] been lots of reports about spiders recently and some of them quite alarmist,’ explained Bel Deering from the RSPCA wildlife centre.

‘We always advise people to keep their distance from unusual looking spiders but the reality is most of them are harmless and are… Read the full story

Scottish SPCA make appeal after unexplained disappearance of cats in Howgill

November 12, 2013, 10:02 am

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A Scottish animal welfare charity is appealing for information after seven cats went missing in the Howgill area of Annan.

The Scottish SPCA was alerted by a tenant who said they had lost five cats in six months, and were also notified of two other felines that had gone missing in the area.

SPCA chief superintendent Mike Flynn said: ‘While it’s a sad reality that cats go missing every day, seven within such a small area and short time frame is very concerning.

‘There may also be more incidents that we are not aware of.’

Read the full story

Cruel owner’s neglect causes dog’s paws to fall off

November 15, 2013, 8:53 am

≫ Next: RSPCA returns puffin to the wild after it was found stranded outside a Kent post office

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A man that neglected his dog so much her paws fell off has been warned he faces jail at Brighton magistrates’ court.

Derek Goldsmith, 64, pleaded guilty to animal cruelty after his shih tzu-poodle cross lost her front mitts when the fur around them wrapped so tightly it eventually cut the paws off.

Cheeky had clumps of hair all over her body and also had to have her teeth taken out after developing a problem.

RSPCA returns puffin to the wild after it was found stranded outside a Kent post office

November 20, 2013, 5:20 am

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A young puffin will be safely returned to the wild after he was found on the pavement outside a post office in Kent.

The seabird, who has been named Pat, was spotted by a man in Strood before being taken to a local vet.

Pat the puffin was given a first class veterinary check-up, including an X-ray. No injuries were found but he was a little ‘wobbly’ on his feet.

Read the full story