Communities and Culture Committee

Scrutiny Inquiry: Domestic Abuse

Response from RSPCA

Committee Chair
Communities and Culture Committee
National Assembly for Wales
Cardiff Bay
Cardiff
CF99 1NA

June 13, 2008

Dear Janice Gregory AM

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) would like to this opportunity to respond to the Committee’s enquiry into domestic abuse. The link between interpersonal violence and cruelty to animals may be well know but the scheme the RSPCA runs to help domestic abuse victims escape their situation, may be something the Committee would be interested to know more about.

The RSPCA is the world's oldest and largest animal welfare charity. The vision of the RSPCA is a world in which all humans respect and live in harmony with all other members of the animal kingdom. Unfortunately, along the way our Inspectors can also uncover the worst of human nature. During 2007, some of the horrific animal cruelty cases investigated by RSPCA Inspectors in Wales included a mummified dog in Barry, a cat killed in a washing machine in Colwyn Bay, and a horse with hooves spiralling to three and a half feet long in Haverfordwest. Another horse and feeding foal in Powys were found to have died of malnutrition, and a dog was also found starved to death inside a cupboard in Ebbw Vale. Overall, 126 cases of animal cruelty were investigated by Inspectors in Wales during 2007, finally securing 79 convictions through the courts.

Of course not all the cases featured above will be linked to domestic abuse, but they do form part of the larger picture. The RSPCA would like to submit the attached document for the Committee’s consideration and we would also be more than happy to give verbal evidence, if the Committee sees fit.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of any further assistance.

Yours sincerely,

Claire Lawson, Rheolwr Materion Cyhoeddus/Public Affairs Manager
Ffôn/Tel: 0300 123 8916 Ebost/Email: clawson@rspca.org.uk