Rise in animal cruelty at heart of charity's summer campaign

More animal cruelty calls were made to the RSPCA emergency line in West Yorkshire last summer, new figures show - as the charity warned it is "busier than ever" rescuing animals.

- by Harriet Sutton

The animal welfare charity launched its Summer Cruelty Campaign, as reports of animal abuse peak in the summer months.

RSPCA figures show 1,358 cruelty calls to the charity's emergency line were for incidents reported in West Yorkshire in June, July and August last year - an eight per cent increase on 1,258 calls in the summer of 2023.

As part of the campaign, the RSPCA is sharing recent cases of animal cruelty seen across the country.

In a cruelty incident in the county earlier this year, the charity was called to investigate after two shar pei dogs were found abandoned in a crate in Leeds.

The dogs were found shut in the cage on a back lane near Mexborough Avenue in squalid conditions.