FOI 113/26 Animal Cruelty

Date: 23/02/26

Enquiry Reference:  113- 26                                                 

I write in connection with regards to your Freedom of Information request.  Your request is below with our response.

The total number of reports received by your force relating to animal cruelty

The below table shows the number of records where the stats class is listed as ‘097/01 – causing, permitting or failing to prevent unnecessary suffering of protected animal’.  The search was between 01/01/2021 – 01/01/2026.  No results were showing for 2021:

The total number of animal cruelty cases investigated by your force

Please note that ALL crimes are initially investigated, but those that are screened in go on for further investigation by an investigating officer where there are reasonable lines of enquiry:

Of those investigations, the number of cases where your force worked jointly with the RSPCA or other animal welfare organisations.

There is no consistent way to identify if RSPCA or any other animal welfare organisation was involved with each case.  Out of the 30 that were investigated a manual search on the crime record looked for the word ‘RSPCA’.  Please note this could involve the RSPCA transferring crimes and vice versa and not necessarily working collaboratively:

Having made enquiries within the Force above is all the information we hold. 

Please note that all statistical data supplied in relation to Freedom of Information requests is a snapshot of data held at the time the request was received by the Freedom of Information office and is subject to constant change/updates.

If you are not satisfied with this response or any actions taken in dealing with your request, you have the right to request an independent internal review of your case under our review procedure. The Freedom of Information Code of Practice (see below link) states that a request for internal review should be made within 20 working days of the date on this response or 40 working days if extenuating circumstances to account for the delay can be evidenced. Public authorities are not obliged to accept internal reviews after this date.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/freedom-of-information-code-of-practice

Yours sincerely

Information Rights Decision Maker