More Devon owners beating their pets

Cruelty cases rise

Animal beatings are on the rise in Devon.

The RSPCA has received nearly 350 calls about animal cruelty over the past four summers.

In one case, a French bulldog was kicked and slapped for 10 minutes. In another, a kitten suffered multiple skull and rib fractures.

These local cases reflect a disturbing national trend, with one cruelty call made every 15 minutes.

In Devon, reports of beatings have risen by 94% during the summer months from 2020 to 2024, with 55 cases in 2020 compared to 107 in 2024.

Year-on-year, reports of beatings are up 10%, and the charity believes this number will continue to rise.

The charity has launched a cruelty campaign to try and get the numbers down and bring more owners to justice.

Dogs, especially bulldog breeds, are the most likely to be victims of these attacks.

"One report of an animal being beaten every half an hour is a horrible thought, but sadly this is the reality in summer when our cruelty line receives a beating report every 30 minutes," says Ian Briggs from the RSPCA.

"It isn't clear why there has been such a drastic increase in abuse against animals, but what is clear is that animals are suffering at the hands of people on a much bigger scale than many people realise."