We are researching into the scale of animal abuse and neglect in the UK, and the associated costs to individuals, the economy, and wider society.

1. The total expenditure on any contracted service related to animal welfare (e.g. kennelling, veterinary care, or rehoming) incurred as a result of any animal welfare enforcement activity, broken down by service (including farmed, wild and companion animals) for the following financial years: 2023/24 (01/04/2023 – 31/03/2024), 2024/25 (01/04/2024 – 31/03/2025), 2025/26 (01/04/2025 – 31/03/2026).

2. Total legal costs associated with animal welfare prosecutions broken down by court fees, counsel/legal representation and prosecution-related legal expenses for the following financial years: 2023/24 (01/04/2023 – 31/03/2024), 2024/25 (01/04/2024 – 31/03/2025), 2025/26 (01/04/2025 – 31/03/2026).

3. Any other staff time and associated costs attributable to animal welfare enforcement activities. This may include, but is not limited to, inspections, case management, and liaising with other organisations such as RSPCA and the police for the following financial years: 2023/24 (01/04/2023 – 31/03/2024), 2024/25 (01/04/2024 – 31/03/2025), 2025/26 (01/04/2025 – 31/03/2026). If you are not able to provide the exact figure, please provide a rough estimate.

4. Any other costs associated with animal welfare enforcement activity not already included under staffing costs, legal costs or contracted services. This may include any other operational, administrative or incidental costs related to enforcement activity involving farmed, wild and companion animals, for the following financial years: 2023/24 (01/04/2023 – 31/03/2024), 2024/25 (01/04/2024 – 31/03/2025), 2025/26 (01/04/2025 – 31/03/2026).

If you cannot provide the information requested above in financial years, please provide it in calendar years (2023, 2024, 2025) or however your data is stored. If you do not have this data for all the years requested, please provide the data for the years you have. If the requested years are missing altogether, please provide data for the latest available time period.