RSPCA Cymru call on public to be its eyes and ears as dog fighting increases

Cases of dog fighting are on the rise in Wales, with a total of 55 incidents having been investigated since 2019, three in Flintshire reveals RSPCA Cymru.

This marks a significant increase from 10 incidents in 2021 to 25 in 2022, prompting the animal welfare charity to appeal to the public for their vigilance.

The shocking statistics were released as part of RSPCA Cymru’s ‘Cancel Out Cruelty’ campaign, which kicked off this month.

Ian Muttitt, RSPCA’s Special Operations Unit (SOU) chief inspector for Wales, lamented that the levels of dog fighting incidents have returned to those seen before the pandemic.

“We were seeing an average of 19 incidents investigated every month in 2019, and that has risen to a staggering 31 a month so far this year,” Muttitt disclosed.

Despite being illegal for almost 200 years, dog fighting remains rife. The ‘Cancel Out Cruelty’ campaign aims to raise funds to aid frontline rescue teams in saving animals from cruelty and abuse, while simultaneously raising awareness about the need to eradicate such violence.

According to Muttitt, reports of animal cruelty peak in the summer months, with a case of an animal being beaten reported every hour of every day.

Dog fighting, often linked to organised crime, is one of many forms of cruelty that the RSPCA tackles every year.

The charity has a dedicated network of rescue officers, specialist vet teams, and animal care centres working to save animals and rehabilitate victims of abuse.

“Dog fighting could be happening in an inner-city warehouse next to your office or on a rural farm in your quiet village,” Muttitt warned.

Dog fighting has been on an overall upward trend since 2019, rising from 232 investigated incidents in 2019 to 355 in 2022 across England and Wales.

This year alone, there have already been 155 incidents within the first six months, a figure that is expected to rise.

RSPCA Cymru has called on the public to assist by reporting any suspicious activities.

Signs of dog fighting can include a dog with numerous scars or puncture wounds, dogs hidden away or not exercised in public, and signs of dogs being mistreated or abandoned.

The charity’s ‘Cancel Out Cruelty’ campaign hopes to counteract the shocking number of cruelty reports received each month, which escalate to three every minute during summer.

The RSPCA’s frontline teams are working diligently to rescue animals in need, but they need public support to cancel out cruelty.

Donations are encouraged to aid the RSPCA’s investigations into dog fighting and other forms of animal cruelty.