One in four people in Wales witnessing animal cruelty online as RSPCA calls for action

One in four people (25%) in Wales have witnessed someone harming an animal online – according to new data from the RSPCA.

The leading animal welfare charity says it fears that without action, widespread exposure on social media to animal abuse risks normalising such behaviour for young people, who are disproportionately viewing such content.

The findings are part of the RSPCA’s landmark Animal Kindness Index, published today (22 July) in partnership with the Scottish SPCA and USPCA.

According to the Index, across the UK, more than four in ten (43%) 16 and 17-year-olds, and almost one third (32%) of Generation Z (18-24 year-olds), have witnessed cruelty towards animals online.

Since the start of 2020, 2,032 reports have been made to the RSPCA’s emergency line about animal abuse on social media – and the numbers in 2024 are on course to be the highest for four years.

To tackle the crisis, the RSPCA is urging social media companies to do more to stamp out animal abuse content out on their platforms – and to give its users the confidence to easily call out and report the mistreatment of animals online.

Normalising

RSPCA Chief Executive Chris Sherwood said: “There’s a growing concern that the proliferation of animal abuse content online risks normalising animal harm, pain and suffering.

“Our lives have been transformed by the internet – but it poses some inherent risks too. We’re deeply concerned by the terrifyingly high numbers of young people now being exposed to images and videos of animal abuse.

“Social media companies must do more to protect young people from being exposed to this content – or we risk further fuelling an animal welfare crisis, at a time when the challenges facing animals are already among the greatest in the RSPCA’s 200-year history.

“Social media giants need to make it easy and obvious for people to report this horrible content, and must prioritise protecting its users from images and videos glorifying animal harm.”

Consultation

Ofcom, regulators of a new Online Safety Act 2023, will soon consult on what social media companies need to do to deal with animal abuse on their channels – under this new legislation.

The new law recognises animal abuse as being harmful to children. It will require platforms to assess the risk of content depicting animal suffering, and to put in place measures to mitigate and manage the risks it can cause – but the RSPCA wants social media companies to go further.

MR Sherwood added: “It’s welcome that the new Online Safety Act recognises the dangers animal abuse content online poses to children, and to all people.

“It’s now vital that Ofcom publishes clear guidance for social media companies, meeting the expectations of the public when this Act was passed that it will deal with the risks animal abuse content poses to users.

“But, whatever the legal obligations, we also want to see social media companies going further – committing to stamping out all animal abuse content on their platforms, and empowering users to be able to quickly and easily report content that is gratuitously violent or harmful against animals.”

The Index also reveals that, in Wales:

59% of households own a pet – compared to 52% across the UK

72% describe themselves as animal lovers – compared to 68% across the UK

82% believe animal welfare should be protected by governments through legislation – compared to 84% across the UK

79% are finding it more expensive to look after their pet – compared to 78% across the UK.

And 52% are worried about being able to afford vet bills – compared to 49% across the UK.

77% have taken action to help animals in the last 12 months – compared to 79% across the UK.

Actions taken to help animals across Wales include 51% who’ve fed the birds (v. 47% UK), 32% who’ve donated to animal charities (v. 31% UK), or bought a product from an animal charity, and 30% who’ve created a wildlife habitat (v. 28% UK).