Man seen hitting dog on CCTV as Tyne and Wear RSPCA report rising levels of animal abuse

Rolo was rescued by the RSPCA after a member of the public reported concerns for the dog's safety. Credit: RSPCA

A Staffordshire bull terrier was rescued by the RSPCA after a member of the public reported concerns for the dog's safety.

CCTV was later recovered which showed Rolo the dog cowering when approached by a man who hit him around the head with a metal dog lead eight times. 

Rolo was seen to flinch on each occasion.

Rolo was taken for veterinary treatment and was rehabilitated at RSPCA’s Felledge Animal Centre and he has since been re-homed by the charity.

It is just one of the incidents reported last year to Tyne and Wear RSCP, which reported an increase in incidents.

Across the Tyne and Wear, there were 253 reports of intentional harm against animals made to the RSPCA last year, compared to 226 in 2021 - an increase of 12%.

The Tyne and Wear RSPCA have reported an increase in the incidents of animal abuse. Credit: RSPCA

Lindsey Avery, RSPCA chief inspector for Tyne and Wear, said: “Right now, animal cruelty is happening in England and Wales on a massive scale and rising - and sadly the number of cruelty incidents in Tyne and Wear are also too high.

"It is heartbreaking that we are seeing figures which show animal cruelty is, very sadly, on the rise.

“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.

“Each year, these reports of cruelty reach its terrible annual peak in the summer months – when  nationally we receive a report of an animal being beaten on average every hour of every day."

She added: “The cost-of-living crisis also means the cost of rescuing animals is at an all-time high and our vital services are stretched to the limit.”

The number of reports made nationally to the charity’s cruelty line about intentional harm to animals - including beatings, mutilations such as ear cropping, poisonings and even killings - has also increased by 14%, with 12,582 reported last year compared to 11,012 reports in 2021.

The animal charity said it is bracing for one of its busiest summers this year as it expects another summer of suffering, with more people reporting cruelty to animals from July to September.

The charity has launched its Cancel Out Cruelty campaign, to raise funds to help its frontline rescue teams. Credit: RSPCA

The charity has launched its Cancel Out Cruelty campaign, to raise funds to help its frontline rescue teams continue to save animals from cruelty and abuse and to raise awareness about how to stop cruelty to animals for good.

The national figures, released today by the RSPCA, show:

  • In 2022 the charity saw a 22% increase in reports of beatings (9,658 in 2022, compared to 7,857 in 2021) that’s 26 every day. 

  • The number of beatings reported to the RSPCA in 2022 peaked in August, when 1,081 reports were received - a staggering 35 a day

  • The number of animals killed in ‘suspicious circumstances’ increased in 2022 by 15% from by 2021 (891 in 2022, compared to 775 in 2021)

  • 77% of all cruelty complaints reported to the charity 2022 were beatings 

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