SIX hurt birds were found dumped in bushes by an underpass in Winchester.

RSPCA animal rescue officer Karen Gregor recently rescued the birds - four budgies and two cockatiel - in the bushes on Otterbourne Hill.

The abandoned birds were confined in a very small cage. None of the birds were in very good condition, one was missing a foot and two had wing injuries.

One of the cockatiel had an eye problem and lots of damaged and missing feathers.

The birds were all examined and given veterinary care before being taken to The Stubbington Ark where they will be found new homes once fully recovered.

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The case was made public to highlight a spike in cruelty which takes place during the summer months.

The RSPCA said that with pet ownership on the rise coupled with financial pressures the charity is braced for a "summer of suffering" in Hampshire.

Dermot Murphy, chief inspectorate officer at the RSPCA, said: “We are a nation of animal lovers and no one wants to think of an animal being cruelly treated but sadly the reality is that every day animals are victims of deliberate cruelty and thankfully the RSPCA is there to help them.

“There are many factors which could explain why we see a rise in cruelty during the summer months. The longer sunny days could mean people are out and about more and likely to see and report abuse.

"Hot summer days can also lead to more people drinking alcohol in the sun which in turn can be a factor causing violence. Perhaps there is boredom or pressures at home with children being off school which can make existing difficulties magnified.

“And this year, we are also concerned that the recent rise in pet ownership coupled with the cost of living crisis could see people really struggling to care for their pets which may lead them to lash out or could see more animals than ever being abandoned or given up.”

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The RSPCA received 1,081,018 calls to its Cruelty Line in 2021 and these included reports of; 1,094 killings, 632 mutilations, 7,857 beatings and 38,087 abandonments.

It said that it receives around 90,000 calls to its cruelty line every month and investigates 6,000 reports of deliberate animal cruelty, including animal fighting and hunting.

But in June, July and August calls rise to 134,000 a month - three every minute - and reports of cruelty soar to 7,600 each month - 245 every day.

Overall, the number of reports made to the charity’s cruelty line about animals being inflicted with intentional harm - including beatings, mutilations such as ear cropping, poisonings and even killings - has increased by 7.9 per cent from summer 2020 to summer 2021, with more than 2,300 reports in June and July alone.

In Hampshire, there were 282 reports of intentional harm against animals made to the RSPCA last year. This places the area in the top ten most cruel counties.

“These figures are shocking and deeply upsetting and show why we need your help to save those animals who need us the most now more than ever," Dermot added. "As a charity, we are bracing to tackle a summer of suffering but we cannot do this without your help.”

The charity launched its Cancel Out Cruelty campaign last week which is aimed at raising funds to help its rescue teams.

To help support the RSPCA, visit: rspca.org.uk/stopcruelty

 

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