Online animal cruelty legislation ‘failing’, charity says
More than 1,400 images of animal abuse were reported between 2024 and 2025.
The Scottish SPCA has called on the Scottish Government to improve legislation tackling online animal abuse.
The charity is pushing for the government to update the Animal Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, warning that existing legislation is failing to keep pace with modern trends.
Its calls come after data showed that, between 2024 and 2025, more than 1,400 individual images of animal abuse were reported. Although five per cent of cases reported to the South West Grid for Learning (SWGfL) in 2025 related to animal abuse, Scottish SPCA warns that each case often featured multiple images or videos.
Meanwhile, the Animal Kindness Index for 2025 revealed that one in five adults in Scotland had witnessed a form of animal abuse online.
The survey also found that 31 per cent of Scottish children felt online cruelty content was becoming more common. It is believed to be frequently appearing on Facebook, TikTok and YouTube.
The Scottish SPCA says it is increasingly dealing with severe and distressing cases of animal abuse linked with online activity. While these cases often result in conviction, the charity fears other cases will go unnoticed due to outdated legislation.
The UK Online Safety Act, introduced in 2023, has been credited with improving efforts to tackle such content.
However, the Scottish SPCA believes that the Animal Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 must be updated to effectively deal with modern issues. It has called on the government to collaborate with the Scottish SPCA, veterinary professionals and other relevant bodies to ensure the guidance is fit for purpose.
Nicola Strachan, head of advocacy & strategic partnerships at the Scottish SPCA, said: “Online cruelty is not victimless, it causes real, often extreme suffering to animals and can have a deeply damaging impact on those who see it, particularly children. Animal abuse content is being created and shared at an alarming scale, yet Scotland’s animal welfare laws have not kept pace with how cruelty occurs in the digital age.
“If we are serious about protecting animals in today’s digital world, the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act must be reviewed so it can effectively address online-enabled cruelty and give enforcement agencies the tools they need to act.”
The Scottish SPCA’s full manifesto can be read here.
Image © TippaPatt/Shutterstock.com
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