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Rise in animal cruelty reports alarming - charity

Victoria Scheer,Yorkshireand
Phil Bodmer
News imageBBC/Phil Bodmer A close-up view of a tortoiseshell cat being held in the arms of a person wearing a bright blue polo shirt. The cat has a mottled coat of black, brown and cream colours, with distinctive lighter markings around the face and ears. The cat is resting comfortably across the person's forearms, with its body curled slightly and its head angled toward the camera. Its yellow-green eyes are open and clearly visible. The person holding the cat is wearing a blue polo shirt with the white and yellow text "RSPCA Sheffield" and the RSPCA logo printed on the front. A small black clip-on microphone is attached near the shirt collar, and a silver necklace is visible around the neck.BBC/Phil Bodmer
Animal cruelty cases are on the rise in some parts of Yorkshire, according to the RSPCA

South and West Yorkshire are among the worst counties across England and Wales for animal cruelty, according to the RSPCA.

New figures released by the animal welfare charity show a 64% annual increase nationally in cruelty reports during the summer.

In West Yorkshire, cruelty reports increased by 15%, in North Yorkshire by 6%, while in South Yorkshire they dropped by 6%.

RSPCA Supt Jo Hirst described the figures as "alarming", and said the rise in pet ownership during the pandemic and longer summer days, which could increase opportunities for people to witness and report cruelty, could be contributing to the increase in reports.

In June, July and August 2025 the RSPCA received 6,322 cruelty calls to their emergency line.

In West Yorkshire, that number stood at 268, an increase from 234 in the same period in 2024.

In North Yorkshire the number of reports increased by 6% from 86 in summer 2024 to 91 in 2025.

Meanwhile, in South Yorkshire 153 reports were made during last summer - a 6% decline from 162 the previous year.

Among the cases reported were a terrier which was found in West Yorkshire lying in its own blood with untreated injuries and missing teeth and two kittens, which were found dead in a pet carrier in a field in Rotherham.

News imageBBC/Phil Bodmer Emily standing outdoors in front of a leafy tree and a light-coloured stone or brick building. She is positioned slightly left of centre in the frame, facing the camera with both hands held behind her back. She is wearing a bright blue polo shirt and dark trousers. A handheld radio is clipped to the waistband on the left side. The polo shirt has visible white text and a logo on the chest reading "RSPCA Sheffield". Her hair is short and reddish-orange in colour.BBC/Phil Bodmer
Emily Harrison said many animals arrived in poor condition

RSPCA Sheffield animal care lead, Emily Harrison, said many rescued animals arrived in poor condition or had experienced little positive contact with humans.

"It always amazes me that we can get the most horrendous case in and you walk into that kennel and expect the dog to be sat in a corner shaking and it's just like 'oh hello', you show them that little bit of love and care and it's amazing," she said.

"I think what keeps surprising me every day of working here is actually how resilient animals are."

Ten areas with the highest number of incidents reported in summer 2025:

  1. London - outer and inner: 488
  2. West Yorkshire: 268
  3. Greater Manchester: 250
  4. West Midlands: 248
  5. Kent: 178
  6. Lancashire: 166
  7. South Yorkshire: 153
  8. Essex: 151
  9. Hampshire: 133
  10. Nottinghamshire: 123

In response to the figures, the charity launched its Cruelty Hurts, Love Rescues campaign to highlight the work it does to save animals from abuse.

"Sadly this year we expect the upward trend will continue and we are already busier than ever rescuing animals from many awful situations.

"Our centres are full with thousands of animals being cared for in emergency kennels and catteries," Hirst said.

"Our dedicated rescue and rehabilitation teams are here to help transform their lives so they can find love and happiness in a new home."

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