More than 1,000 animal cruelty incidents in Northamptonshire in last five years as RSPCA launches campaign to cut it out

The charity is hoping to raise awareness of how everyone can help stamp out animal cruelty for good
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

More than 1,000 deliberate acts of cruelty against animals have been reported in the last five years in Northamptonshire.

The county has seen 1,060 incidents of violence against animals in half a decade - and national figures are just as shocking.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

RSPCA has now launched a ‘Cancel Out Cruelty’ campaign to curb the horrific acts and to raise awareness about how everyone can help stamp out cruelty for good.

The RSPCA has launched a campaign to cut out animal cruelty.The RSPCA has launched a campaign to cut out animal cruelty.
The RSPCA has launched a campaign to cut out animal cruelty.

Among the incidents of cruelty the RSPCA has dealt with in Northamptonshire is an emaciated and collapsed dog who was dumped in a suitcase which was weighed down with bricks and thrown into a lake in Corby.

The brindle Cane Corso Italian Mastiff dog was found cold and terrified by a local resident who saw the dog on a playing field in Pen Green Lane.

The resident went for a closer look and saw the pet was in poor health, with a large ulcerated mammary tumour and was clearly underweight, so she contacted the dog warden who took her to a veterinary surgery for emergency treatment and the matter was reported to the RSPCA.

Inspector Ann Bennett was sent to investigate.

This Italian Mastiff was dumped in a suitcase in Corby.This Italian Mastiff was dumped in a suitcase in Corby.
This Italian Mastiff was dumped in a suitcase in Corby.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Ann said: “It seems too much of a coincidence to find the dog wet and then to find a suitcase nearby with bricks so we believe she was dumped in the water in this way.

“At this stage we are not sure of the significance of the spade unless there was a plan to bury the suitcase.

“Fortunately for some reason Alexis was able to escape from the suitcase, which was recovered half open - and she was found by a kind member of the public.”

Nationally, the RSPCA sees a rise in cruelty cases in the summer months, specifically July, so the charity is launching its latest campaign now.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Dermot Murphy, head of RSPCA animal rescue teams, added: “We always sadly see a rise in cruelty during the summer months.

“As well as more people being out and about in the longer sunny days, seeing and reporting abuse, we feel there are a number of factors which contribute to this rise.

“Unfortunately, the hot summer days can lead to more people drinking alcohol in the sun which can be a factor in causing violence.

“There could also be boredom during the long holidays and more pressures at home - when the whole family is on holiday from school and work, existing difficulties in the home can be magnified.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“During these hot months, calls to our cruelty line rise, putting more pressure on our already stretched frontline rescue teams.

“We know most people would not dream of harming an animal.

“However, we are concerned that, as we come out of lockdown and people return to their jobs outside the home or suffer financial pressures, we will see more animals suffer if their owners find themselves unable to cope.”

The charity is urging people in Northamptonshire to support its campaign to ‘Cancel Out Cruelty’.

Anyone who wants to report animal cruelty to the RSPCA should call its hotline on 0300 1234 999.