Warning: Article contains details of animal cruelty that some readers may find upsetting
Brits have been warned over a new 'horrendous' trend that sees people - as well as children - killing and torturing helpless animals.
Over 350 photos and videos of injured and dead animals are being shared across a UK-wide network of 489 members, which includes children, teenagers and some young adults.
Many members of these WhatsApp groups are very young, some of primary school age, who are sharing videos of injured animals, slowly dying after being shot with hand-help catapults, Sky News reports in an exclusive investigation.
Advert
Clips of young people kicking and abusing the animals shortly after shooting them are reportedly being shared in these WhatsApp groups.
Animals include pigs, deer, pigeons, foxes, squirrels, pheasants, rabbits, geese and ducks.
In one video, filmed by a child, a severely injured deer with a head wound is shown getting kicked on the floor.
Another clip shows two teenagers who have just shot a fox, as one is heard saying: "Okay boys... steel shot in the head."
Other videos show the attackers celebrating their horrific actions.
Describing their kills, one voice note read: "Shot him straight in the head boys, smack bang in the skull, not one bit of kick, nothing, no little flinch before he died."
"Goes straight through the rabbit's head," another voice note from a boy says.
The RSPCA has described these attacks as 'sick' and 'horrendous'.
Geoff Edmond, the RSPCA's lead wildlife officer, told Sky News: "We're seeing more and more injured animals being reported to us that are being hit by catapults."
Edmond said that police in London are aware.
Meanwhile, one charity said it had seen an increase in bird injuries via catapult.
Volunteer Danni Rogers of the Swan Sanctuary, which rescues swans, said that they are looking after around 20 birds with catapult injuries.
Rogers said that X-ray images show 'fractures to facial areas, eyes exploding and windpipes bursting'.
"I get emotional about seeing animals in distress," he told Sky News. "(They're) being targeted for no other reason than just pure evil fun."
Henry Smith, the vice chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare, said: "Until a few people are convicted of using catapults for inflicting great suffering on animals, and they face the consequences of that in law, then there won't be a deterrent to stop other people from engaging in this sick activity."
Causing an animal unnecessary suffering is an offence, according to the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
A WhatsApp spokesperson told the outlet: "We respond to law enforcement requests based on applicable law and policy."
LADbible has contacted Meta, the company that owns WhatsApp, for further comment.
Anish Vij