Raising awareness of animal cruelty sentences in the UK

Incidences of inhumane treatment of animals in society are all too common. In 2015, the RSPCA received over 1,115,495 calls, leading to 796 convictions. But UK maximum sentencing is laughable, at just 6 months in prison for animal abuse, compared with 5 years for fly-tipping or 7 years for theft. Battersea Dogs & Cats Home believes that animal cruelty sentences in the UK should be increased so that the severity of the punishment is reflected in that of the crime committed.

Battersea approached us to create an animation to support an upcoming campaign which would increase public awareness of the issue of animal cruelty sentencing in the UK. The short animation had to be subtle but also powerful enough to grab the attention of the audience and convey the message clearly and effectively. We couldn’t be too explicit or show any animals being physically hurt, so we decided to show a suggestion of violence, which could be heard but not necessarily seen.

Once people clicked through to the campaign website, they were encouraged to sign up to send an email to their local MP encouraging them to change the law in England and Wales. Since the campaign was launched, and with the help of our animation, Battersea has already sent out 21,740 emails and reached 87% of their target. They have also gained the support of 52 MPs. Hopefully, this is just the beginning of the end for animal cruelty.