Animals

The RSPCA is braced for a busy festive period after dealing with a bumper number of calls about cruelty over Christmas last year (2012).

Last year staff answered 833 calls about neglect and cruelty on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day – 53 per cent more than the same period in 2011.

Calls to help collect injured and abandoned animals were also up by about a third (32...

Two Somerset men have pleaded guilty on four charges of causing unnecessary suffering to two sheep and two cows.

Derek Oatley, 71, and his 68-year-old brother Terrance Oatley, of Moor Lane Farm, Draycott near Cheddar, appeared at Yeovil Magistrates Court following an investigation led by Devon and Somerset Trading Standards.

Their investigations were in response to complaints...

New research has revealed that just 1,000 grey long-eared bats, a species native to Devon, remain in the UK and numbers are declining.

"The UK’s grey long-eared bats need greater conservation efforts before we lose them” says Dr Orly Razgour, who is calling for this little-known species to be afforded ‘UK Priority Species’ status in the newly published Conserving grey long-eared bats...

The RSPCA have reported an alarming increase in animals being abandoned across England and Wales.

In the last year, the RSPCA were called out to rescue more than 37,000 abandoned animals and received a call asking for help every 30 seconds.

Every year the charity sees a sharp rise in abandonments at the height of summer. Evidence from the RSPCA and other animal charities...