'Alarming increase' in reports of animal cruelty

More than 800 incidents of animal cruelty were logged in the South East in 2022

The RSPCA has reported an "alarming increase" in the amount of intentional cruelty against animals across the South East.

There were more than 800 reported cases in the region in 2022, with 395 in Kent, 296 in Sussex and 157 in Surrey.

Kent saw the biggest rise - with a 19% increase compared to 2021 when 331 incidents were reported.

The RSPCA has launched a campaign to prevent what it calls "another summer of suffering".

Julie Parsons, an RSPCA rescue officer based in Brighton, said: "We are seeing an increase in reported dog beatings. We are hearing that more and more people are struggling with their pets.

"There is an increased amount of calls that we are attending."

Figures compiled by the RSPCA show reports of animal beatings in 2022 across the whole of England and Wales rose by 22%.

In August 2022 there were more than 1,000 reports of animal cruelty nationwide - which equated to 35 incidents every day.

The number of animals killed in "suspicious circumstances" went up from 775 in 2021 to 891 in 2022 - an increase of 15% - the RSPCA said.

Dermot Murphy, the RSPCA’s inspectorate commissioner, said: “While we don’t know for certain why there has been an increase in reports of cruelty, the cost of living crisis and the post-pandemic world we live in has created an animal welfare crisis with more people getting pets with potentially less time and money to care for them."

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