NEWS IN BRIEF

MOMENTOUS LEGAL REFORMS FOR ANIMAL WELFARE The Animals and Wildlife (Scotland) As the Bill passed, there was Bill received unanimous cross- also a commitment to review party support in Holyrood back wildlife powers in Scotland. We in June. The legislation includes believe we can play a vital role a raft of new reforms which we in tackling wildlife crime, and believe will be game-changing for would welcome the opportunity all animals in Scotland. to do so. A recent survey showed Every day, we see first-hand how have the ability to investigate legislation lets animals down. We crimes against any animal. After years of campaigning have long championed the need by us, our partners, and for many of the reforms included thousands of animal lovers in this new Bill. Hopefully, harsher nationwide, the Scottish sentences will deter people from Parliament unanimously committing acts of cruelty and passed a new law which ensure the punishment fits the will transform animal crime for the worst offences, such welfare in Scotland. as puppy farming and animal fighting. 64% of Scots think we should WHATS NEW?

The maximum sentence for the worst animal cruelty or wildlife crimes will be up to five years and/or an unlimited fine.

Animals involved in legal proceedings can be rehomed after three weeks, rather than waiting on a lengthy court case to conclude. Animals involved in such situations spent an average of 203 days in our care in 2019 – at a cost of £650,000.

Implementing ‘Finn’s Law’, which gives greater protection to the service animals who protect us.

Fixed penalty notices for lesser offences.

A licensing system to address the mass slaughter of mountain hares.

CONFUSION WITH THE RSPCA

1 in 4

A survey revealed almost 1 in 4 Scots confuse us with the RSPCA, who do amazing work in England and Wales only. 25% of those surveyed said they thought we were a part of the RSPCA. This could mean that, of the 200,000 people who called our animal helpline in 2019, 50,000 do not know we are an independent

Scots This August, we ran our annual Pound for Paws saw over 360 animal lovers take part. Backed by Olympian Laura Muir, participants covered more than 15,000km! Among those taking part were humans, dogs and even a couple of dinosaurs. A special thanks must also go to CALA Homes who provided £6,000 of sponsorship support for the event. charity. The poll also showed 16% of people believe the RSPCA rescue animals in Scotland.

We work closely with the RSPCA on key UK-wide animal welfare

LOTS OF POUNDS FOR PAWS!

fundraiser. The event, which asks people to walk, jog or run a minimum of 30km in a month for animals in need,

issues such as puppy farming.

Over the month of August, participants travelled the same distance as Pitlochry to Perth …in Australia!

ANIMAL FIGHTER SNARED

A man involved in dog fighting was given a ban and a community payback order after we received intelligence he was breaking the law.

A man who cruelly trained his four dogs to bait wild animals was handed a five-year ban on owning dogs and 160-hour community payback order for animal welfare offences.

Martin Davidson plead guilty to failing to provide veterinary treatment for an injured dog and training his dogs for animal Andrew William McPherson was given a five-year ban on owning dogs and a £200 fine for failing to provide a nutritionally adequate diet and veterinary treatment for female German Shepherd Zara and male crossbreed Bobo. Zara and Bobo’s living conditions were dirty and cluttered, with piles of litter on the floor. fighting. Davidson had videos showing his dogs attacking foxes and posing with injured and dead animals.

The accused admitted he had not registered his dogs, who all had nasty scars around the face and head, with a vet. None had received any medical attention. The dogs are in our care and we bones and ribs were visible. Their severely overgrown nails were causing them lots of discomfort. When our inspector visited, some dog food was accidentally spilled on the floor. Zara and Bobo were so hungry they started fighting over it. Under the expert care of our animal care team, Zara and Bobo recovered and have both gone on to loving new homes. hope they can be rehomed and they will get a chance to be normal pets living happy lives.

Animal fighting is sadly far more common in Scotland than many people think. We’ve brought numerous sadistic individuals involved in it to justice, with prison

BAN FOR DOG NEGLECT

Following our investigation, a man was convicted of badly neglecting two dogs in his care and hit with a fine and a ban on owning canines.

sentences and bans handed out.

“five-year ban on owning dogs and a £200 fine”

A baby fox had a lucky escape after we rescued it from a car engine back in April. A member of the public called us The promise of a square meal was wild, where he belongs, with some after spotting the fox’s head when all it took to lure the hungry cub other orphaned foxes we saved. they lifted the bonnet. Thankfully, out. He spent four months at our the car had not been used for National Wildlife Rescue Centre, In 2019, we cared for over 50 foxes. three days and the cub was lucky where our tireless wildlife experts Many of these were orphans who he was in there at a time when provided round-the-clock care. would not have survived in the people were travelling much less wild on their own at such a due to the pandemic. In late August, the fox was old young age.

DAREDEVIL LAMBS

In the space of a few days, we rescued not one but two daredevil lambs!

A lamb on the Isle of Lewis became stranded on a cliff-side as it had hurt its legs. Mum did not want to abandon it and, thankfully, Hebrides Mountain Rescue Team helped us to rescue it. Once the enough to be released back to the ewe saw her baby was safe, she began to climb back up the cliff-side.

At Calderglen Country Park, our team had to rappel down to a lamb stuck in a cave behind fast-flowing water. After wading through freezing water, the lamb was taken back to safe ground and in to our care.