CRUELTY TO DOGS IN WALES RISES 19% IN TWO YEARS

Recorded cruelty to dogs in Wales increased by 19 per cent between 2024 and 2025, according to official RSPCA figures. The rise forms part of a longer trend, with reported cruelty cases up 55 per cent over the past five years. Staffordshire bull terriers and bulldog-type dogs account for almost a quarter of all deliberate cruelty cases, the figures show. One such dog, a Staffordshire bull terrier named Duchess, was abandoned in her previous home and survived only because a neighbour fed her through a letterbox after discovering her condition.

When rescued, Duchess was severely underweight and had lost considerable fur owing to a severe flea infestation. She was subsequently adopted by Fiona Rees-Davies in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, who observed that the dog responded well to care and affection. Some experts have suggested that the XL bully ban introduced by the UK government, combined with "alpha-style dog training" practices, may be contributing to increased mistreatment of muscular dog breeds. The government introduced the ban after stating the XL bully breed had been "disproportionately involved" in recorded deaths since 2021.

Rees-Davies noted that Duchess faced stigma during walks, with members of the public crossing the road despite the dog displaying friendly behaviour towards other animals. She described Duchess's life before rescue as lacking love and contact, contrasting sharply with the dog's "loving nature" in her new home. Duchess was diagnosed with a cancerous tumour shortly after her adoption, limiting the time Rees-Davies could spend with her.