Introduction

The deliberate use of catapults to target animals—known as catapult attacks on animals—is a growing welfare crisis in the UK. These acts cause unnecessary suffering, injury, and death, breaching national animal cruelty laws.

Weapon-linked attacks on animals have risen sharply, with a reported 23% increase in 2023 compared to the previous year.

While catapult attacks on animals are not a new phenomenon. There is a disturbing rise in these incidents, particularly among children and young offenders, with videos and images of cruelty increasingly shared across social media platforms, turning acts of violence into entertainment.

Rabbits, hares, and wild birds are the most frequent victims. They often suffer fatal wounds from high-velocity projectiles. The rise of catapult abuse reflects a deeper problem: violence against animals is being normalised. It desensitises people to suffering and fosters antisocial behaviour.

This report explores how catapult attacks on animals affect both wildlife and domestic pets, including abandoned animals. It reviews the current law, key case studies, and recommendations for urgent reform.

Hop to Save Rabbits calls for clear action:

• Ban or restrict catapult sales;

• Increase penalties for offenders; and

• Hold social media companies accountable for hosting violent content.

These steps will protect animals, communities, and young people alike.

The Growing Problem of Catapult Cruelty

Weapon-linked cruelty is no longer rare. Catapult attacks on animals are increasingly reported across rural and urban communities. Many cases involve wildlife such as rabbits, hares, and birds, but pets — including cats and dogs — have also been targeted.

In several police investigations, perpetrators filmed and shared their acts on social media. Videos show children and teenagers using catapults to harm defenceless animals, encouraged by peers in private chat groups.

This trend is not only a breach of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 but also a moral failure. It highlights how animal cruelty is being gamified and how digital platforms enable violence to spread unchecked.

Legislative Protections and Enforcement Gaps

Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981: Protections for Rabbits and Hares

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 is the principal legislation governing the protection of wild species and their habitats in the United Kingdom. It primarily safeguards wild birds and certain other listed species from harm, injury, or disturbance.

Although rabbits and hares are not specifically listed as protected species under this Act, deliberately targeting them with a catapult in a way that causes unnecessary suffering may still breach broader animal welfare provisions. In such cases, offences can also fall under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 or the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996.

Where harm occurs in connection with conservation offences, illegal hunting, or anti-poaching breaches, enforcement action may also be taken under this Act. For example, if catapult attacks on animals take place in protected areas or involve species covered by Schedule 5 or 6, perpetrators can face prosecution under both wildlife and animal welfare law.

Together with later legislation, the Wildlife and Countryside Act forms a cornerstone of the UK’s response to animal cruelty. It provides a vital legal foundation for tackling catapult-related offences against wildlife and ensuring accountability when animals are injured, maimed, or killed.

Animal Welfare Act 2006

Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, any vertebrate animal — wild or domestic — is classed as a “protected animal.” Using a catapult to injure or kill an animal constitutes causing unnecessary suffering, an offence under section 4 of the Act. Convictions can result in up to five years’ imprisonment, unlimited fines, and disqualification from owning animals.

Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996

This Act makes it illegal to intentionally mutilate, kick, beat, nail, or otherwise inflict unnecessary suffering upon any wild mammal. Striking or wounding a wild rabbit or hare with a catapult falls squarely under this provision.

However, enforcement remains inconsistent. Many cases go unreported or unprosecuted due to lack of evidence, limited police resources, or difficulty tracing offenders online.

Online Safety Act 2023

The Online Safety Act 2023 places a statutory duty of care on social media platforms to remove harmful content. Yet violent videos of animal torture remain widespread. Stronger enforcement and fines for non-compliance are essential to prevent further cruelty.

Sentencing Framework

• The Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021 marked a significant increase in deterrence, raising the maximum prison sentence for serious animal welfare offences from six months to five years.
  
• The enhanced five-year penalty applies to offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006; offences under the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996 currently carry a maximum sentence of six months’ imprisonment or a fine.
  
• Courts may also impose longer custodial terms in aggravated cases, alongside additional sanctions such as banning orders preventing offenders from owning or working with animals.

Case Studies: Highlighting the Crisis of catapult attacks on animals

1. Sky News Investigation (13 March 2024)
Sky News uncovered WhatsApp groups where children shared graphic footage of animals harmed with catapults. In one voice note, a rabbit was described as “shot straight through the head,” and graphic images of injured or dying animals were circulated to incite further attacks.

2. Hampshire Police Report (26 April 2024)
ITV News reported incidents of wildlife being targeted with catapults in Hampshire, including a break-in at a pheasant pen where a man armed with a catapult inflicted significant harm.

3. Wiltshire Poaching Arrests (4 October 2021)
BBC News reported the arrest of six individuals for poaching, with police seizing catapults, ball bearings, and the remains of a hare or rabbit—illustrating the link between catapult use and broader wildlife crime.

4. Hare Coursing Incident (12 July 2024)
Farmers Guardian reported an incident where a farmer was threatened with a catapult during an illegal hare coursing event, highlighting catapults on animals as well as tools not only for cruelty but also intimidation in rural crimes.

5. Rise in Animal Abuse Linked to Social Media (8 August 2025)
An RSPCA report published on 8 August 2025 highlights a disturbing trend: social media platforms such as WhatsApp, TikTok, and Snapchat are increasingly being used to share graphic videos of animal cruelty. These include footage of animals being deliberately maimed via catapult attacks on animals, as well as so-called “challenge” videos that encourage further violence against wildlife and pets. The charity warns that this digital spread of abuse is fuelling real-world incidents and desensitising young people to suffering.

The Link Between Animal Abuse and Human Violence

The use of catapults to harm animals not only causes direct suffering but also poses serious risks to child welfare. Exposure to, and participation in, acts of cruelty can cause profound psychological damage to children and young people, fostering antisocial tendencies and violence. These risks must be recognised alongside animal welfare concerns in framing a robust response.

Policy Recommendations to Prevent Catapult Attacks on Animals

Ending catapult attacks on animals requires coordinated national action. Laws must evolve, enforcement must strengthen, and online platforms must be held to account. The following reforms are essential to protect rabbits, hares, and wildlife across the UK.

1. Ban or Restrict the Sale of Catapults

The sale of high-powered catapults must be regulated to prevent misuse.
• Introduce a nationwide ban, or restrict sales to individuals aged 18 and above.
• Prohibit the sale and use of steel ball bearings, which inflict severe and often fatal injuries.
• Consider a licensing system for legitimate sporting, historical, or professional purposes.

These steps would significantly reduce access to weapons used in animal cruelty cases.

For reference, similar restrictions already exist in Australia and New Zealand, where catapults are controlled under public safety and wildlife protection laws.

2. Increase Penalties for Offenders

The law should impose tougher consequences on those who harm animals.
• Introduce mandatory custodial sentences for severe or repeat acts of cruelty involving catapults.
• Enforce penalties under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which allows for up to five years’ imprisonment.
• Enhance policing in sensitive areas such as nature reserves, public parks, and rural properties.

Stronger sentencing creates deterrence. It also affirms that deliberate violence towards animals will not be tolerated.

3. Hold Social Media Platforms Accountable

Social media companies play a direct role in spreading cruelty. Under the Online Safety Act 2023, platforms have a statutory duty of care to remove harmful content. However, this duty is not yet applied consistently to animal cruelty.

• Require platforms to remove violent animal abuse content promptly.
• Impose substantial fines for failure to do so.
• Redirect part of these fines to frontline animal welfare charities. Particularly small animal and wildlife organisations—who bear the brunt of these cases and provide vital care and rehabilitation.
• When criminal offences are identified, platforms must pass evidence to the authorities without delay.

Catapult attacks on animals often begin as online “challenges.” Enforcing platform accountability will break this cycle of entertainment-based cruelty.

4. Embed Animal Welfare in Education

Education is a long-term solution. Schools should teach empathy and the legal consequences of cruelty.
• Deliver targeted lessons on the link between animal abuse and antisocial behaviour.
• Promote compassion and responsibility from an early age.

By teaching children to respect animals, we prevent violence before it starts.

5. Strengthen Law Enforcement Capacity

The ability of police forces to investigate and prosecute cruelty is crucial.
• Allocate dedicated funding for rural and wildlife crime units.
• Provide specialist training to identify and track online cruelty trends.
• Encourage collaboration between police, councils, and animal welfare organisations.

As a result, officers can respond faster, collect stronger evidence, and protect vulnerable animals more effectively.

6. Encourage Public Awareness and Reporting

Public involvement is vital. Awareness campaigns can expose the cruelty of catapult attacks on animals and empower communities to act.
• Launch nationwide campaigns through local councils and NGOs.
• Create anonymous reporting tools for citizens who witness cruelty.
• Share success stories to encourage more people to come forward.

Collective vigilance can help stop cruelty before it escalates.

Further Considerations and Next Steps

While the above proposals set out clear and urgent priorities, several additional measures could further strengthen protection against catapult attacks on animals and improve enforcement outcomes.

Specificity of Restrictions

Licensing systems should be considered for legitimate uses, such as sporting or historical activities. The law could also restrict high-powered catapult designs, introduce mandatory age verification for buyers, and require safe-handling education. These steps would close loopholes and ensure responsible use.

Enforcement Challenges

Effective enforcement will require clear resources and coordination. Strengthening rural policing, encouraging public reporting, and building partnerships between law enforcement and wildlife organisations are essential. Without these measures, bans or restrictions may prove difficult to uphold consistently across the UK.

International Comparisons

Countries such as Australia and New Zealand have already restricted or banned catapults to protect wildlife and public safety. Their approaches demonstrate that national regulation can be both practical and effective. The UK can learn from these models to develop proportionate but firm laws against cruelty.

Focus on Prevention

Legal reform alone cannot solve the problem. Prevention is key. Community education programmes, public awareness campaigns, and early-intervention initiatives can help deter acts of cruelty before they escalate. Engaging with at-risk youth and embedding empathy-based education will build long-term change.

Conclusion: Ending Catapult Attacks on Animals

The deliberate use of catapults to harm rabbits, hares, birds, and other animals is both morally wrong and illegal under UK law. Every injured animal reflects a wider failure of policy, enforcement, and social responsibility.

To address this cruelty, the UK must:
• Ban or strictly regulate catapult sales and steel projectiles.
• Enforce harsher penalties under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
• Hold social media companies accountable under the Online Safety Act 2023.
• Equip law enforcement with the tools and training required to act effectively.
• Integrate animal welfare education into schools and youth programmes.

Protecting animals from deliberate harm will also protect young people from exposure to violence and desensitisation. Teaching compassion today prevents cruelty tomorrow.

Public Campaigns and Call to Action

A formal petition calling for these reforms will be launched shortly, building on growing public momentum. Existing petitions — including the 38 Degrees petition to end catapult cruelty and the UK Parliament petition to ban public carrying and sale of catapults— demonstrate widespread concern across the UK.

This new petition invites animal welfare groups, rural communities, educators, and policymakers to unite for reform:
• Ban or restrict catapults.
• Strengthen sentencing and enforcement.
• Ensure online accountability.

Together, we can end catapult attacks on animals, uphold compassion, and protect both animals and people from senseless harm.

Learn more about our broader work Hop to Save Rabbits.
Read our global Ban Rabbit Meat campaign to see how international advocacy is driving progress.

Together, we can work to end this cruelty and protect both our animals and our communities.