What is animal cruelty?
In England and Wales, animal welfare is protected mainly by the Animal Welfare Act 2006. It is an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to an animal, or to fail to meet an animal's welfare needs.
An animal's five welfare needs
- A suitable environment (somewhere to live).
- A suitable diet (food and clean water).
- The ability to behave normally.
- Appropriate company (or to be housed with, or apart from, other animals).
- Protection from pain, suffering, injury and disease.
Signs you can report
- An animal that is thin, injured or clearly unwell and not being treated.
- Animals with no access to food, water or shelter.
- Animals living in dirty, cramped or dangerous conditions.
- An animal being hit, kicked or deliberately harmed.
- Abandoned animals.
- Organised cruelty such as animal fighting.
When to call 999 instead
If an animal is in immediate danger, or a crime is happening right now, call the police on 999. Use this service for concerns that are not an immediate emergency.