Day in the life of the RSPCA in Wales on its ‘busiest day

RSPCA calling on all to help Cancel Out Cruelty this summer

RSPCA Cymru has given a glimpse of the incredible work their frontline rescue teams carry out day in day out – as the charity deals with increasing numbers of heartbreaking cruelty.

It comes as 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.

Yesterday (18 July), the charity across England and Wales had 4,060 calls made to its cruelty line –  on average six a minute during opening hours  – with 1,775 incidents created to be investigated by frontline rescuers. In Wales this included the shocking discovery of a dead puppy with missing body parts and a collapsed fox in a warehouse.

There are three inspectorate ‘regions’ in Wales with a total of just 32 frontline officers – which includes three chief inspectors. Last year the RSPCA in Wales received 5,632 complaints of alleged cruelty. Out of these calls there were 753 intentional harm reports – an increase of 9% on the previous year (691 in 2021).

Tom Buckley, hub manager at the RSPCA’s National Control Centre, based in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, said: “We take a million calls a year but summer is our peak time – with mid July typically being when we receive more calls. The calls we receive are heartbreaking – our call takers never know what they will hear when they answer the call, but it can range from a report of animals being beaten, shot, abandoned or poisoned.

“Our call handlers know they can make a difference because, working together with frontline rescuers, they can help save lives and coordinate rescues of all types of animals.

“That is why we need the public’s support more than ever to help Cancel Out Cruelty so our call staff, frontline rescuers along with centre and branch staff can work together to help all those animals in need.”

Tom, pictured with his RSPCA rescue dog Otter who was abandoned as a one day-old pup, added that, for anyone wanting to report an incident to the RSPCA, to check the charity’s website first: “As we are so busy, we have information on our website which gives advice on if people can help the animal themselves if it is safe and possible to do so. This really helps free up our cruelty line and our frontline rescuers to focus on investigating the heartbreaking cruelty and neglect cases which flood in over summer.”

The RSPCA receives around 91,500 calls to its cruelty line every month and investigates 5,300 reports of deliberate animal cruelty. But in the summer (during July and August) calls rise to 133,000 a month – which is three every minute – and reports of cruelty soar to 8,400 during these months; a heartbreaking 271 every day, or 11 every hour.

The reports are prioritised and tasked out to frontline rescue teams across England and Wales who work tirelessly to help bring animals to safety, and animal abusers to justice.

Meanwhile staff and volunteers at RSPCA centres and branches up and down the country are ready to assist in providing any treatment and care the rescued animals may need.

Busiest day in Wales

ARO animal rescue officer (ARO) Ellie West is one of the officers on the road – and on an average she covers around 150 to 200 miles a day – responding to reports of animals in need.

One of the first jobs of the day was a very poorly and emaciated fox discovered by workers in a warehouse at Travis Perkins in Llanelli. He was found curled up and was clearly unwell and distressed.

ARO West said: “This poor fox had collapsed. He was an adult fox who had most probably gone inside the warehouse to get some shelter and rest. But sadly he was emaciated and was also suffering from mange.

“I’d like to thank the workers for calling this in, sadly the kindest thing was to put him to sleep as he was suffering as he was dying. They were clearly very kind and caring people who monitored the fox until we arrived. Although this wasn’t the outcome we would have hoped for I am pleased we were able to help him and he was not left to suffer a lingering death alone.” 

Ellie’s day also involved a call about a cat in Swansea – where concerns had been made of her condition and environment as she was staying in a shed filled with rubbish at the back of an empty house.

“This call highlights the importance of microchipping as we found the cat and as she was chipped we were able to trace the owners who were not living too far away.

“She was in a good condition and very friendly and it seemed she was enjoying being fed by a few families at the same time.”

While Ellie also dealt with a young collared dove – thought to be injured – which had been taken to a vets in Swansea. Following an examination – the bird, aged a few weeks old, was found not to have any injuries and was taken to Gower Bird Hospital for specialist care until it is old enough to be released back into the wild.

Concerningly the charity also faced several calls of a more serious nature. One of these was in South East Wales where inspector Sophie Daniels was called to reports by a member of the public concerned about a dead puppy – with body parts missing – seen in a garden along with another live dog. 

The body of the dead puppy was removed by Sophie and a vet confirmed that the injury was consistent with an attack from another dog. Enquiries are ongoing.

While deputy chief inspector Gemma Black was at RSPCA Merthyr Veterinary Clinic to pick up two cats – Phoebe and Peter. Phoebe came into RSPCA care as her owner sadly passed away. Due to a bad eye she was given an operation to remove it and she was also spayed. She is now heading to private boarding and will soon be going up for rehoming.
While Peter was picked up as an injured stray and after being castrated at the clinic is also heading to private boarding and will soon be rehomed. (Gemma pictured with Phoebe).In Penylan in Cardiff, inspector Christine McNeil came to the aid of a trapped magpie who had fallen down a chimney on a rooftop in the Lady Mary area, and was stuck, and thrashing around, in a vent.

The magpie was released by cutting away at the plasterboard to create a bigger hole – before Christine brought the bird to safety, wearing gloves and a special mask given the ongoing Avian Influenza outbreak. Fortunately, after a thorough welfare check, the magpie wasn’t injured and was released back to the wild in the caller’s back garden.

Six-year-old Erin O’Brien got to delay her bedtime to watch inspector Christine complete the rescue – and believes RSPCA rescuers are “like superheroes”.

Erin said: “I was so shocked and surprised when my Mummy told me there was a magpie stuck in our chimney! I was really worried about the bird – and just wanted him to be safe.

“Christine did such a good job. RSPCA inspectors are a bit like superheroes; and I want to say thank you to her. I was so happy I got to watch the magpie fly away because he was free.”

As well as frontline officers, RSPCA staff are busy daily dealing with the high numbers of animals in their care – from animals that are involved in prosecution cases and those who have been abandoned or neglected. It means that many of these animals have specific needs and require specialist care.

During the day (Tuesday 18 July) staff at RSPCA Newport Animal Centre were busy caring for 27 dogs, 16 cats and 10 rabbits – plus the centre has another 44 animals with foster carers.

Deputy centre manager Kath Logan said: “Our morning consisted of our weekly vet visit from the RSPCA Merthyr Tydfil vet Jonathan Fitzmaurice.

“Our day was as busy as usual – with staff dealing with rehoming requests and enquiries. While we have a lot of dogs under our behaviour team, the team will work through their individual plans with the dogs.

“As well as the usual upkeep for the animals, the dogs will be taken on their exercise for their walks and many of them require specialist care, so the team will ensure they receive their medications and things like medicated baths.”

While at RSPCA Bryn Y Maen Animal Centre in Upper Colwyn Bay, staff are caring for 170 animals on site. Centre manager Vicky Williams said: “It was another extremely busy day for us at the centre. We have 54 cats in our care and the team members are also supporting the hand rearing of an additional 12 kittens. We have 21 dogs and more than 80 fish with more arriving each day. (below is Nanu who is looking for her forever home)

“We also have three guinea pigs, 22 small animals including rats and ferrets and 19 rabbits.

“The day involved two dogs having operations at our local vets and we had three animals having visits planned at the centre with their adoptive families. A vet visit in the afternoon also involved 17 animals.”

While the teams see unimaginable cruelty, it’s not all doom and gloom and thanks to the calls to the cruelty line on this day so many animals were saved. Once they are rehabilitated in our care they will either be returned to the wild or will find the loving homes they deserve.

• £2 could help to provide a meal for a cat or dog in our care

• £6 could help pay to feed a dog for a day in our care

• £10 could help pay towards bandages for a cat or dog

• £15 could help pay for a cat or dog’s clinical exam

• £20 could help pay towards a bird catching kit

• £30 could help pay for a life jacket for an inspector

• £100 could help pay towards water rescue equipment

• £500 could kit out a 4×4 inspector van

The RSPCA’s frontline teams are working hard to rescue animals in need this summer but we can’t do it alone – we need your help to Cancel Out Cruelty. To help support the RSPCA, visit: www.rspca.org.uk/cruelty