Annually, the RSPCA receives over 7,000 phone calls about litter-related incidents and our officers regularly rescue pets, farm and wild animals trapped or hurt by discarded litter.
With many pet and farm owners going direct to vets, and many injured wild animals never being found, it is estimated that this figure is just the tip of the iceberg.
Here are just some of the preventable incidents we have dealt with. Many more animals are harmed or killed because of carelessly discarded rubbish.
- A fox cub with its head stuck in a dumped wheel hub.
- A badger cub with a plastic can holder embedded in its neck.
- A cat that lacerated the footpad of its paw on some broken glass.
- A dog with its tongue caught in a discarded can.
- A cow with its head stuck in a fly-tipped washing machine.
- A hedgehog that got its head wedged in an empty carrot tin.
- A seal with fishing net caught around its neck.
- A dog that cut an artery on a sharp piece of metal.
What you can do to help
Protecting pets, farm animals and wildlife from harmful rubbish is straightforward – simply dispose of your waste responsibly.
- Recycle and reuse where you can
- Otherwise take your rubbish home and put it in a bin.
Everyday objects can become hazards to animals
Once balloons burst, animals can mistake them for food and can choke.
- Cut used balloons into pieces before putting in the bin.
- Avoid balloon releases as the balloons can land anywhere. Read more in our wildlife factsheet above on the right.
- Chinese or sky lanterns
The debris from Chinese lanterns, also known as sky or flying lanterns, can have devastating effects on animals.
- Pick up the debris if you see it lying around.
- Use alternatives to Chineses lanterns, such as static candles and nightlights.
- Containers and cans
Attracted by leftovers, animals will forage inside and get their heads trapped, like this hedgehog pictured here. Larger animals may get their tongues caught or damaged by sharp edges. Animals such as cats, foxes, gulls, rats and dogs often rummage in rubbish bins.
- Clean cans and containers, drop lids inside cans and pinch cans shut.
- Cut containers in half.
- Try to recycle where possible.
- Elastic bands
These get caught around necks of small animals and beaks of birds. They can also be swallowed, causing an animal to choke.
- Whenever possible reuse bands.
- Cut them open before putting in a bin.
- Fishing tackle
Line can get caught around legs, wings, necks and beaks, and hooks can pierce skin and muscle or be swallowed causing internal injuries. It is estimated that around 8,000 swan rescues take place each year. Many of these swans have injuries caused by fishing tackle.
- Take unwanted line home and cut it into small pieces before putting it in a bin.
- Wrap hooks in newspaper before putting in a bin.
- Read more in our wildlife factsheet above on the right.
Bottles and jars break easily, leaving sharp pieces that can cause serious injury. Animals can get trapped in glass jars, like the fox cub pictured here.
- Clean and recycle glass at a bottle bank.
- Plastic bags
Animals can climb inside and suffocate, or eat them and choke. Each bag takes hundreds of years to decompose and are not broken down once eaten so can kill more than one animal.
- Tie a knot in all bags before disposing of them.
- Better still, reuse or recycle.
- Plastic can holders
Animals can get entangled, like this mallard duck pictured right. This can cause deep sores, wounds and choking.
- Always cut the loops before putting in a rubbish or recycling bin.