RSPCA urges public to take part in national litter pick
Foxes are among the animals most frequently involved in litter incidents.
The RSPCA is asking the public to get involved in this year’s Great British Spring Clean to help protect wildlife from dangerous litter.
In the past four years, the charity has received nearly 13,000 calls about animals harmed by litter. Among the animals most commonly affected were foxes, hedgehogs, and deer, while the most frequently harmed birds were swans, pigeons, and gulls.
The problem peaks during the summer, with an average of 13 reports per day between May and August.
Animals helped by the RSPCA include a hedgehog that was tangled in barbed wire and a goose that got its beak caught in a drinks can.
About 40 per cent of litter-related incidents reported to the RSPCA last year involved fishing equipment. Discarded fishing line is a common danger, especially for water birds. It can cut into flesh, affecting circulation and causing wounds that become infected.
The annual Great British Spring Clean is organised by the charity Keep Britain Tidy. This year, the litter-picking campaign will run from Friday 15 March to Sunday 31 March.
More than 400,000 bags of litter were collected by volunteers last year.
Carrie Stones, RSPCA anti-litter campaigns manager, said: “Spring is an ideal time to go on a litter-pick because it falls before the breeding season when young animals such as fox cubs are at risk of getting into trouble, while litter in hedges will be more visible to pickers before the vegetation really starts growing.
“That’s why we’re calling on the public to get involved in the Great British Spring Clean to help remove litter that may endanger animals.
“But it’s also really easy for the public to help at all times of the year. When people are out and about, we urge them to hold on to their litter until there is an opportunity to dispose of it safely and responsibly - or recycle where appropriate.
“As we all strive to create a better world for every animal, this could save an animal’s life.”
Image © RSPCA
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