It's RSPCA Week!

RSPCA Week 2011 runs from 2 to 8 May we are releasing our annual animal welfare figures as a way of showing our valued supporters how they have helped us help animals over the last year.

We investigated almost 160,000 complaints of alleged cruelty in 2010 (159,686), which is more than a 10% increase compared to 2009 (141,280).

During 2010, the RSPCA:

·         Answered 1,163,240 calls

·         Investigated 159,686 complaints of alleged animal cruelty

·         Issued 86,354 animal owners with welfare improvement advice

·         Rescued and collected130,033 animals

·         Rehomed 64,086 animals

·         Treated and helped 210,970 animals in our hospitals and clinics

·         Spent almost £4m on veterinary care

·         Microchipped 67,388 animals, helping them to stay safe

·         Admitted 16,429 wildlife casualties into our four wildlife centres

The RSPCA had to rescue fewer animals in 2010, which could be good news in that people took our advice on board and were able to keep their pets rather than having to give them up. 

One of the animals collected by the RSPCA was Winter the cat.  Winter was found lodged halfway through a cat flap in Coventry with a broken leg.  The white cat was nursed back to health and was found a new home by the charity’s Coventry animal centre.

The four RSPCA wildlife centres admitted more than 16,000 casualties last year.  The RSPCA Mallydams Wood wildlife centre in East Sussex had almost 3,000 admissions – its highest in 50 years.

The RSPCA West Hatch wildlife centre in Somerset had a very rare visitor last year:  an extremely weak juvenile Leisler’s bat had to be rehabilitated for more than a month before he could be released.

Another wildlife rescue involved a fallow stag which had become entangled in a swing in Hook, Hampshire.  The deer was freed by two RSPCA inspectors who had joined forces with the fire and rescue service.  He was dazed but unharmed and wandered off into the woodland on his release.

To find out more about the work of the RSPCA please visit www.rspca.org.uk.  To find out how to support your local independent RSPCA branch during RSPCA Week and all year round, and for a list of your local events, please visit www.rspcaweek.org.uk Also, look out for RSPCA fundraisers at your local Tesco all this week too!

You can also Stand Up For Your Favourite Animal here - http://donations.rspca.org.uk/RSPCAWeek/Online.aspx (FYI rabbits got my vote, don't tell my cat Maverick!)

Follow RSPCA Frontline on Twitter (@RSPCA_frontline) for a live one-day tweet-a-thon today (Thursday 5 May).  RSPCA inspector Tony Woodley will be tweeting updates of animal rescues and cruelty complaints received throughout the day.