Warning: This article contains images which some readers may find distressing.
Children are filming themselves using catapults to injure and kill animals in a UK-wide WhatsApp chat.
Around 500 members across 11 group chats, which include primary school children, have shared footage of their kills.
The injured animals are shown slowly dying as they are shot with the catapults, while others are kicked to death.
More than 350 pictures and videos have been shared into the group, prompting a call for catapults to be classed as an illegal weapon.
The RSPCA has described the chat content as ‘horrendous’ and said it was an ’emerging trend’.
Animals targeted include pigs, deer, pigeons, foxes, squirrels, pheasants, rabbits, geese and ducks.
In one video, a deer is seen twitching on the ground severely injured with a head wound.
The child who attacked the animal then stands over it while showing off their hand-held catapult.
They then kick the deer, causing it to writhe around on the ground in visible distress.
Another video shared shows two teenagers shooting a fox, with one heard saying: ‘Okay boys… steel shot in the head.’
Another teenager films a Canada goose drowning, heaving shot it from across the pond.
A primary school aged child also films himself picking up aheavily bleeding squirrel, saying: ‘Look at that boys, it’s a ball bearing for ya… have that you prick.’
X-rays show shattered bones and ball bearings lodged inside swans.
The Swan Sanctuary has found 20birds in its care with catapult injuries.
Volunteer Danni Rogers told Sky News they are seeing ‘devastating’ wounds to the birds’ heads and necks.
He added he had seen ‘fractures to facial areas, eyes exploding and windpipes bursting’.
Mr Rogers was called to rescue a swan with catapult injuries when he was made aware the children were still in the area.
He later found a freshly killed pigeon next to his vehicle left as a ‘trophy’.
Geoff Edmond, the RSPCA’s lead wildlife officer, said young people are ‘deliberately and intentionally targeting animals for sport’.
‘We’re seeing more and more injured animals being reported to us that are being hit by catapults,’ he said.
He added police in London and Essex are aware of the increasing number of incidents.
MP Henry Smith, the vice chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare, says lawmakers need to look at changing legislation around catapults.
The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 lists weapons a person must not use to kill an animal, but catapults are not included.
Mr Smith said: ‘Until a few people are convicted of using catapults for inflicting great suffering on animals, and they face the consequences of that in law, then there won’t be a deterrent to stop other people from engaging in this sick activity.’
WhatsApp said the material being shared was against its terms of use.
They said: ‘We respond to law enforcement requests based on applicable law and policy.’
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