The RSPCA has received almost 13,000 reports about animals found severely injured, trapped, mutilated, choked or even dead from carelessly discarded litter over the past four years.
And out of all the counties in England and Wales, Devon came second in the league of litter-related animal incidents with 594 reported to the RSPCA over that time period.
The shocking new data – released today by the charity – also reveals that it received an average of 13 reports per day last year during the peak months of May, June, July and August, when there is a particular litter hazard for animals.
Now – the RSPCA is urging people to help “create a better world for every animal” by getting involved in Keep Britain Tidy’s Great British Spring Clean’ (from 15-31 March). Individuals, groups or schools can pledge their support – and say how many bags of litter they intend to pick up – with more than 400,000 collected in total last year.
Distressing incidents dealt with by the RSPCA include a hedgehog entangled in old barbed wire, a fox cub with litter caught round his neck, a goose with an old drinks can stuck to her lower beak and a Great Black Backed Gull whose leg became almost completely detached due to old fishing line cutting in.
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