Kent has country's highest number of targeted weapon attacks on animals, according to RSPCA
Kent had the highest number of reports about wildlife and pets being targeted by weapons in the last few years.The RSPCA says there's been 61 official incidents between 2020 and 2023.
The number of cats shot with an air gun or catapult has more than doubled in the first six months of this year.The RSPCA is warning pet owners in Kent to be extra-vigilant this summer after new figures suggest the county is a hot spot for animals being targeted in deliberate weapon attacks, including a fox who was shot with a catapult by a group of teenagers in Chatham.
In Newbury last month, a post-mortem carried out on a dead hedgehog revealed a 10mm diameter metal ball lodged in the animal’s skull, suggesting he had been targeted with a catapult. Warnings come as the RSPCA's 'No Animal Deserves Cruelty' summer campaign continues to raise vital funds supporting the charity’s work to tackle animal cruelty.Overall, there has also been a 23% year-on-year increase in the total number of animals targeted by weapons, up from 300 in 2022 to 370 last year.
Crossbows are the weapon which has seen the biggest increase in its use in attacks, with 11 incidents in 2023, compared to seven in 2022.
RSPCA Lead Wildlife Officer Geoff Edmond said: “These weapon attacks are horrific, but what we see is likely only the tip of the iceberg - and we are particularly concerned about the situation in Kent.
“It is unspeakably cruel and totally unacceptable to shoot animals for ‘fun’ like this - or to harm them for target practice, but sadly we receive nearly 200 reports across England and Wales every year.
“While most people will be appalled by attacking animals in this way, sadly the RSPCA’s experience shows that there are people out there who are deliberately targeting wildlife, pets and farm animals with guns, catapults and crossbows.
"These weapons cause horrific pain and suffering.
“But we are doing all we can to change things. As more and more police forces are seeing worrying levels of weapons-related incidents, we are helping to develop Operation Lakeshot, a police-led partnership initiative initially established by Essex Police and the Metropolitan Police, which aims to tackle these worrying crimes against wildlife.”
Between 2022 and 2023, wild birds bore the brunt of weapon attacks, with numbers increasing from 190 to 214.
Attacks on dogs also increased from 11 to 30 and from six to 32 for farm animals.
The number of weapon-related incidents between 2020-2023 for counties across the Meridian region:
Kent: 61
Hampshire: 27
Surrey: 20
Berkshire: 15
West Sussex: 14
Dorset: 14
East Sussex: 11
Wiltshire: 9
Oxfordshire: 9
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