The cost of reported illegal animal abuse and neglect in Great Britain
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Background
Building on findings from our first report, this study quantifies the economic impact of reported illegal animal abuse and neglect across Great Britain. By highlighting millions in avoidable public service costs, it shows the financial case for prevention.
Summary
Following the first report on the scale of animal harm, this second study commissioned by the Animal Welfare Evidence Centre and delivered by WPI Economics assesses the economic cost of reported offences against animals in Great Britain. It measures impacts across the criminal justice system, local authorities and other public agencies, and animal welfare charities. The research reveals tens of millions in avoidable annual costs borne by public services and charities.
By mapping these costs, the evidence base makes a strong financial case for investing in prevention, not only to reduce animal suffering but to minimise the financial burden on public services.
Key findings
Animal harm imposes a substantial, multi-million-pound burden on public services and the Exchequer across Great Britain:
- Police forces and adjacent agencies face the highest annual public service costs of between 70.6 million to £108.0 million responding to recorded animal offences, driven in part by the significant kennelling and veterinary care costs associated with enforcing the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.
- A further £14.7 million to £19.5 million was spent on 3,900 animal-related prosecutions across the Criminal Justice System.
- Local authorities incurred between £8.1 million to £13.8 million on reactive enforcement of animal welfare, including inspections, legal proceedings, and contracted rehoming services. Concurrently, statutory agencies, such as the Animal and Plant Health Agency and Food Standards Agency, incur approximately £5.6 million in monitoring and enforcing animal welfare compliance.
Animal welfare charities, largely supported by public donations, allocate between £730.7 million and £844.4 million annually to essential frontline care and prevention. This investment underscores their vital role in mitigating illegal harm and supporting public bodies with their legal animal welfare responsibilities.
These costs are an underestimation of the full economic impact of offences against animals due to critical data limitations and the direct harms to animal victims, and wider harms to humans and society cannot currently be robustly monetised.
Key financial findings
- £70.6m – £108m: Estimated annual cost to UK police forces and enforcement bodies responding to animal-related crime (including XL Bully kennelling and veterinary costs).
- Data source: WPI Economics modelling based on Police Activity Survey, FOI responses, and NPCC data (2025/26).
- £14.7m – £19.5m: Annual cost to the Criminal Justice System in England, Wales, and Scotland across courts, legal aid, CPS/COPFS, prison, and probation for ~3,900 animal-related prosecutions.
- Data source: WPI Economics analysis of Ministry of Justice and COPFS data (2025/26).
- £8.1m – £13.8m: Total annual expenditure by local authorities across Great Britain on animal welfare activities, including kennelling, rehoming, and legal enforcement (median: £10m).
- Data source: WPI Economics extrapolation from local authority FOI data across Great Britain (2025/26).
- £730.7m - £844.4m: Approximate annual expenditure by UK animal welfare charities providing investigation, rescue, veterinary, and rehoming services.
- Data source: WPI Economics analysis of Charity Commission Register of Charities and OSCR data (2025/26).
Research methodology
This report assesses the economic cost of reported offences against animals across Great Britain using desk-based research, Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, stakeholder engagement, and quantitative economic modelling.
FOI requests were submitted to 261 public bodies, including 207 local authorities, 44 police departments, and 10 government agencies, yielding usable data from 58% of local authorities and 34% of police forces. Desk research and stakeholder engagement (18 responses across 22 sector organisations, with six follow-up discussions) supplemented non-public cost data.
Quantitative analysis combined Ministry of Justice statistics, Home Office unit costs, and Charity Commission registers using Excel and statistical software R. Police response costs were estimated using Police Activity Survey workforce metrics, local authority expenditures were extrapolated using national percentile ranges, and public agency (e.g., FSA, APHA) and criminal justice impacts were monetised to establish comprehensive baseline cost ranges.
Recommendations
- Introduce a common cost-recording framework across local, devolved, and central governmental bodies.
- Ensure the costs collected via this framework are centrally aggregated and analysed to support policy- and decision-making.
- Improve the quality of recording of animal-related offences and ensure all animal-related crime is made notifiable in England and Wales.
- Animals welfare organisations and agencies record prevention, routine assurance, and enforcement costs separately.
- Formally recognise animals as crime victims across all animal offences and ensure their welfare is a central consideration in enforcement and justice system processes.
- Develop supplementary Green Book guidance for the appraisal of material animal-welfare impacts.
- Establish a central body responsible for directing and coordinating animal-welfare law monitoring and enforcement.
Authors
Julia Wyjadlowska - Senior Consultant, WPI Economics
Tinuke Bamiro - Consultant, WPI Economics
Eoghan McCauley - Consultant, WPI Economics
Matt Beebee - Senior Consultant, WPI Economics
Rob Fontana-Reval - Chief Economist, WPI Economics
