Dog fighting is 'rife' in Devon, says RSPCA

'ONE OF THE WORST COUNTIES FOR THIS CRUEL SPORT'

-  CARL EVE

THE RSPCA has said counties in the South West particularly Devon are hotspots for dog fighting and the figures are growing. Despite the pandemic lockdowns, 77 cases of dog fighting have been tackled by the RSPCA in the west of England since 2019 and the charity has highlighted the issue as part of its Cancel Out Our Cruelty campaign which launched last Monday.

RSPCA dog fighting expert and Special Operations Unit (SOU) chief inspector Ian Muttitt said: "Our figures show that in the past four years the RSPCA has uncovered and dealt with 77 incidents of dog fighting just in the west of England, let alone in the rest of England and Wales. Devon is the worst county in the west for it, with 22 of the incidents occurring there.

"It's staggering that something which has been illegal for almost 200 years, which most people would consider consigned to history, is still so rife."

The RSPCA's Cancel Out Cruelty campaign, aims to raise funds to help its frontline rescue teams continue to save animals from cruelty and abuse and to raise awareness about how to stop cruelty to animals for good.

Ian said: "Each year, these reports of cruelty reach its terrible annual peak in the summer months. Around this time of year nationally we receive a report of an animal being beaten on average every hour of every day.