Intentional harm to dogs, including improper and attempted killings, poisonings, beatings and mutilations, is happening on a “massive scale” and has risen since the coronavirus pandemic, the RSPCA has said.
In 2022, there were 9,776 reports of dog cruelty made to the charity, compared with 8,176 in 2021 and 7,691 in 2020, a rise of 27% in three years, which experts suggest could be due to rising financial strain on families.
