The RSPCA has taken 10,000 calls reporting deliberate harm to a wild animal over the past five years.

The animal charity has released new figures revealing that iconic wildlife such as deer, swans and hedgehogs are among the most abused 

In 2020, teams answered 12 calls reporting intentional harm to wild animals in Oxfordshire - making it 22nd on the list with the highest number of reports.

The five areas which topped the list were Greater London (101), Kent (37), West Midlands (36), Greater Manchester (35) and West Yorkshire (30).  

As part of its Cancel Out Cruelty campaign, RSPCA data showed that wild mammals and birds bore the brunt of the abuse across a five-year period from 2016 to 2020.

The number of cruelty incidents relating to wild mammals totalled 4,383, with wild birds persecuted in even greater numbers, at 5,049. 

The figures also reveal that deliberate cruelty to wildlife is its highest during the summer months. Last year (2020), 376 wild animals were reported to have been intentionally harmed across the lockdown months of June to August alone.

RSPCA Head of Wildlife Adam Grogan said: “We say we’re a nation of animal-lovers and yet every year, we see wild animals in our wildlife centres and animal hospitals that have been badly injured or killed by being beaten, mutilated, poisoned, or shot for ‘fun’.

“Our data shows that reports of cruelty to wildlife surged over last summer. Police forces reported a rise in anti-social behaviour during that first lockdown, when pressures and frustrations may have led to more of this type of crime, leading to some seeking ‘entertainment’ through these sorts of barbaric incidents involving wildlife.”

The RSPCA’s inspectors see first-hand the suffering inflicted by criminals on animals through wildlife crime such as airgun and crossbow shooting, badger baiting, dog fighting, illegal hunting with dogs including hare coursing and trapping birds.

Adam added: “There is no place for cruelty to animals in today’s society and we urge anyone who spots anything suspicious when out and about or sees anything online to report it to either the RSPCA’s cruelty line on 0300 1234 999, Crimestoppers or their local police force.”

Across a five year period (2016-2020), RSPCA data shows that foxes were by far the most persecuted wild mammal, with a total of 2,299 reports of intentional harm, followed by deer (500), badgers (497), rabbits (388) and hedgehogs (331).

Pigeons were the bird most likely to be harmed intentionally with 1,518 cruelty reports received, followed by swans (700), gulls (648), ducks (395) and geese (336).

The RSPCA’s Cancel Out Cruelty campaign aims to raise funds to keep its rescue teams on the frontline saving animals in desperate need of help as well as raise awareness about how we can all work together to stamp out cruelty for good.

The RSPCA gets around 84,000 calls to its cruelty line every month and around 1,500 of those are about intentional cruelty. But the charity sees a rise in the summer by around 400 calls, on average, per month, which equates to 47 calls every day or two every hour.

To help the RSPCA continue rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming animals in desperate need of care please visit their website or call our donation line on 0300 123 8181.