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Animal abuse is not on the decline in Whangarei despite police statistics showing a 20% drop in animal abuse cases, because most cases get reported to the SPCA, not police.

Animal abuse defies statistics

Reprinted with permission from the Whangarei Leader

By Deanna Harris

Animal abuse is on the rise in Whangarei according to the SPCA, despite police statistics showing a different trend.

Northland police statistics show a 20% decline in the number of animal abuse cases, from 20 in 2007 to 16 in 2008, but Whangarei SPCA manager Francine Shields says there is no way animal abuse is on the decline.

In 2008 Whangarei SPCA recorded 555 alleged cases of abuse and neglect of animals, up from 522 in 2007. Already this year 174 cases have been reported.

Whangarei police spokeswoman Sarah Kennett says the police statistics are from crimes reported to police and more people call the SPCA about animal abuse than the police.

Ms Shields says the police often refer animal abuse cases to the SPCA as they are too busy to deal with them.