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RSPCA's anti-cruelty heroes

The RSPCA is launching a new campaign to help highlight the dangers many animals face and the risks charity workers who try to protect them also face. The charity rescue thousands of animals a year from abusive situations.

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RSPCA reveal severity of animal violence

Ahead of the launch of their new campaign to highlight the dangers animals and those trying to protect them face, the RSPCA have released some examples of the cases and violence faced by RSPCA inspectors over the past two years.

Cases of animals suffering brutal attacks included:

  • A dog beaten with a pole, causing 30 fractures
  • A swan shot with a crossbow
  • A cat beaten against a tree
  • A three-week-old lamb with its ears cut off
  • A lurcher stamped on, run over and stabbed with a potato peeler
  • A bird shot with a blowgun dart through his eye
  • A mouse tortured with a power tool

Staff investigating violence on animals were threatened with:

  • A claw hammer
  • A knife
  • A crossbow
  • A shotgun
  • A machete
  • Assault
  • Death threats

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RSPCA inspectors deal with 'barbaric cruelty'

I take my hat off to RSPCA Inspectors, I wouldn't want to go into the situations they do and deal with people who have inflicted such barbaric cruelty on defenceless animals - that takes real courage and professionalism.

Sadly dealing with the most stomach-churning suffering is everyday work to these men and women. I dread to think what would happen if they weren't there to help.

These everyday heroes can only help thanks to donations from the public.

– Chris Packham, TV presenter and wildlife expert

RSPCA inspectors assaulted or threatened 246 times

The RSPCA say that in 2012 alone inspectors were assaulted or threatened 246 times. The new ‘everyday heroes’ campaign hopes to highlight this growing problem and help both animals and those trying to protect them from suffering violence.

RSPCA figures from last year also showed that air rifle injuries on animals had increased by almost 40 per cent to almost 800 attacks reported to the charity in 2012.

The horrific attacks include several cats shot in the face and whose eyes had to be removed and others who did not survive after being shot.

Read more: RSPCA launching campaign for 'everyday heroes'

Read more: Lamb has ears cut off in Notts

RSPCA launching campaign for 'everyday heroes'

The RSPCA is launching a new campaign today to help highlight the dangers many animals face and the risks charity workers who try to protect them come across.

The charity rescue thousands of animals every year from abusive situations and say many of the animals rescued have suffered horrific injuries from the use of weapons such as metal bars, knifes, guns and crossbows.

In May a young lamb was attacked and had its ears removed in Nottinghamshire Credit: ITV News Central

They say these weapons are also increasingly being turned on charity staff, who are trying to protect the animals from injury or even death. The RSPCA say three out of four inspectors suffer some sort of abuse every year while doing their job.

In May this year the RSPCA launched an investigation after a three week old lamb had its ears cut off in Nottinghamshire.

Read more: Lamb has ears cut off in Notts

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