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Report a dead or injured animal

What you need to do depends on the type of animal, and whether you were involved in an accident with it.

You must stop and contact the police as soon as you can if you hit any dogs, horses, donkeys, mules, pigs, goats, sheep or cattle (such as cows) with your vehicle. It’s a criminal offence if you injure the animal and do not report the accident.

If you find a dead animal

You can report most dead animals to the local council.

You can report a dead wild bird online.

There’s a different way to contact your local council in Scotland or contact your local council in Northern Ireland.

For example SW1A 2AA

Find a postcode on Royal Mail's postcode finder

If you find an injured animal

Report an injured pet or wild animal

You can report injured pets and wild animals to the RSPCA if you’re in England or Wales, or the equivalent organisations if you’re in Scotland or Northern Ireland.

RSPCA
Report a concern to the RSPCA online
Telephone: 0300 1234 999
Monday to Sunday, 8am to 8pm
Find out about call charges

Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA)
Report a concern to the SSPCA online
Telephone: 03000 999 999
Monday to Sunday, 9am to 5pm
Find out about call charges

Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (USPCA) wildlife@uspca.co.uk
Telephone: 028 3025 1000
Monday to Sunday, 9am to 6pm
Find out about call charges

Report a concern about a farm animal’s welfare

You might want to report a concern about a farm animal’s welfare if it:

  • has signs of neglect, like starvation
  • appears to have been abused or mistreated
  • has strayed, is stranded or is stuck

If you’re in England, Scotland or Wales, you can report a welfare concern about a farm animal to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).

APHA England
Report a concern about a farm animal in England online
Telephone: 03000 200 301
Monday to Sunday, 24 hours a day
Find out about call charges

APHA Wales
Telephone: 0300 303 8268
Monday to Sunday, 24 hours a day
Find out about call charges

APHA Scotland
Telephone: 0300 060 0704
Monday to Sunday, 24 hours a day
Find out about call charges

If you’re in Northern Ireland, you can report a welfare concern about a farm animal to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).

DAERA
Telephone: 0300 200 7840
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Find out about call charges

Report pesticide poisoning

Contact the Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme if you think an animal has been poisoned by pesticides.

Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme
Telephone: 0800 321 600
Monday to Friday, 9am to 4:30pm
Find out about call charges

Find out more about animal poisoning inspection.

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