Hampshire among top ten for complaints received by RSPCA

According to a report released today the county has been named among the top ten places for the number of complaints received by animal charity the RSPCA.

The organisation has condemned the increase in cases of which 4,713 were recorded in 2014, up from 4,586 in 2013.

Inspectors say that people are increasingly finding “disturbingly inventive ways” to harm animals.

Incidents reported in Hampshire included a man swallowing a live frog and lizard as part of an online game, a Southampton man dangling a cat from its tail whilst being filmed on a mobile phone and a missing cat found tied to a fence by its neck.

Hampshire was ranked the ninth worst county in the UK based on the number of complaints made.

RSPCA superintendent for the south west, John Grant, said: “It is extremely concerning that we are still receiving so many complaints about animals being deliberately caused to suffer.

“Most of the complaints we receive involve animals being neglected or not receiving the right care and often we can put that right by offering welfare advice. However, it is shocking that in 2014 people are still being deliberately cruel in what can be disturbingly inventive ways.”

Beating, improper killing, mutilation and poisoning made up 12.5 per cent of the total 28,800 complaints in 2014 to the RSPCA across south west and central England.

A shocking 3,594 involved alleged deliberate and often violent cruelty being inflicted upon animals.

The charity said that in 2014 the animals most likely to fall victim to alleged deliberate cruelty were dogs with 21,084 complaints and 16,089 reported as beaten, followed by 5,194 complaints for cats, and 3,653 for rabbits and small animals.

In January the RSPCA worked with vets across Hampshire after nine dogs were cruelly dumped in Upham, Owslebury, Alresford and Winchester’s Morestead Road with severely matted fur. The animals were unable to see or stand and inspectors said they thought they had been subjected to a lifetime of cruelty.

The charity rehabilitated the animals, and some have been rehomed. Others are still being cared for at RSPCA centres.

Case studies

A SOUTHAMPTON man Matthew Coffin was banned for keeping animals for 10 years after he was filmed dangling a cat by its tail in January last year.

RSPCA inspector Penny Baker said: “The 10 year ban handed down by the court shows how seriously they viewed these offences.

“He is very lucky that the cat wasn’t more seriously injured. Daisy was less than a year old at the time and didn’t weigh much. If he had done that when she was older and heavier then he could have caused serious damage to her spine.”

The owner was also fined £150 and also ordered to pay £257.50 costs.

Then there is a 23-year-old Waterlooville man was ordered to do 80 hours of unpaid work after swallowing a frog and lizard as part of online game Neknomination in February 2014.

He was spotted after posting video footage on Facebook putting them into a glass of water and swallowing them live.

RSPCA inspector Alan Browning said: “The two small animals would have suffered considerably during this incident, going through the distress of being swallowed and coming into contact with stomach acids.”

The man was also ordered to pay £1,200 in costs.

IN June 2014 RSPCA inspectors were called after a missing cat was found tied to a metal fence with nylon cord in Hartley Wintney. The 18-month-old was rushed to vets and he had an open wound on his neck.

The person responsible was never found.

Owner Louise Heckford said: “We were distraught when Archie went missing, we leaflet dropped 200 houses and made posters.

“We are so glad to have him home now and are grateful he is ok, although he has lost a lot of confidence.

“Now we just want to make sure no one else has to go through this.”