Editor's note: This article contains descriptions of animal abuse. If you need to report a suspected case of animal cruelty or neglect, the ASPCA has resources available here.
Videos of animal abuse are spreading online at a pace that Scotland's laws may not be equipped to handle.
What's happening?
As Glasgow Live reported, the Scottish SPCA is calling for an urgent review of Scotland's Animal Health & Welfare Act 2006, arguing that the country's main animal welfare law was written long before the rise of today's social media ecosystem.
That gap is putting both animals and young viewers at risk, the Scottish SPCA told Glasgow Live.
The Social Media Animal Cruelty Coalition recorded 77,888 reports of animal abuse footage since December 2024. That works out to an average of more than 130 a day.
"Nearly 80,000 reports in less than two years should be a wake-up call," said Nicola Strachan, SPCA's Head of Advocacy & Strategic Partnerships. "We are seeing some of the most horrific acts imaginable being filmed, shared and consumed online across every social media platform."
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Why does it matter?
The group said the content includes deliberate physical and psychological abuse, sexual abuse, fake rescue videos, and clips designed to shock viewers for clicks, per Glasgow Live.
The outlet noted Facebook alone accounted for tens of thousands of reported incidents between December 2024 and May 2025, including thousands involving the causing or prolonging of an animal's death.
The organization also pointed Glasgow Live to troubling Ofcom data showing that nearly one in five children aged 3 to 5 years old use social media on their own, while 40% of children under 13 have a profile despite age restrictions.
"Thousands of people, including very young children, are being exposed to increasingly graphic cruelty, while those responsible can use social media to normalise, glorify and profit from this abuse," Strachan explained to Glasgow Live.
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That can encourage copycat behavior offline among impressionable viewers. That could only create a vicious cycle for animals if the cruel acts are spread more widely.
Inspectors with the group said they are already seeing severe cases linked to online activity, including dog-fighting content, per Glasgow Live. In one 2023 case, a man was banned from owning animals for five years after posting videos to Snapchat and TikTok showing his dogs killing badgers and foxes.
What's being done?
The Scottish SPCA has a petition that supporters can sign to support the initiative. As Glasgow Live noted, only one major party, the Scottish Greens, is officially behind the issue as the Scottish Parliament elections approach.
Mark Ruskell, Scottish Green MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, backed the group's push while telling Glasgow Live that although the original Animal Welfare Act was important at the time, it is time to bring it into the present day.
"Science and societal values have moved on, it's out of date and needs urgently updated," Ruskell told the outlet. "The Scottish Government should not delay otherwise we will fall behind other nations."
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