Wildlife in South London are being targeted in horrendous ongoing violent attacks with high-power catapults across Greenwich, Bexley, Thamesmead and Abbey Wood as well as over the border into Swanley in Kent. Greenwich Wildlife Network (GWN), a charity dedicated to aiding and providing care for injured animals, has released several statements across their social media platforms urging local authorities to act.
Despite visual proof, eye-witnesses, and reports of the attacks, which have often been taking place in broad daylight, perpetrators have not been penalised and no further action has been taken so far. In the GWN’s Facebook page, Rae Gellel, the charity’s founder and director, detailed brutal attacks against swans, ducks, and squirrels, highlighting these are not killings “for sport”, but “barely shy of torture” as many animals are left to suffer horrific injuries.
In May, Theodore, a 22-year-old goose well-known by the locals at Swanley Park, was killed in one of these attacks – shot in the face with an enormous stone that lodged itself in his nostril. His beak was left utterly distended and infected due to the injury, and his breathing obstructed in the final moments of his life.
More recently, on July 22, a swan at Foots Cray Meadows, in Bexley, died from an infection that had spread into her bones after being shot by a solid projectile. Once rescued, her ribs disintegrated in the vet’s hands. As described by Rae, “she was rotting from the inside”.
Residents, who had watched her grow and raise cygnets every year, were distraught – one man so much so that he waited all night with her until rescue arrived.
Calls to restrict sales of catapults and bring in stricter punishments
Rae has called for the regulation of sales and use of catapults, as well as harsher penalties. “At this moment this kind of cruelty is as good as legal”, reads Rae’s statement on GWN’s page.
After several calls to action to prevent further deaths, the situation remains unchanged. Attacks reportedly are occurring as frequently as every other day and residents say they continue to go to the police.
The Met Police, in a recent release, detailed their commitment to prioritising crimes that matter most to Londoners – anti-social behaviour among them. Such strategies have led to positive developments over the past weeks, as Rae said the police has sent letters to schools to shed light on the issue and reopened catapult cruelty cases that had been previously filed.
“The problem most of the time is that we need a lot of evidence to complete these reports”, Rae told MyLondon. Rae believes the surge in animal cruelty has followed the rise of social media, as culprits hop on the “trend” and copy their friends in sharing footage of catapult attacks against local wildlife.
“It’s well-known that violence against animals is a stepping-stone to violence against people”, Rae added, “People should be concerned if ten-year-olds are completely desensitised to empathy and radicalised to this point.”
Following previous findings on this matter, a study published in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence by clinical psychologists Laura Wauthiers and Joanne Williams confirmed that cruelty against animals is often an indicator for the development of aggression in children.
Calls to consider fining parents
In Greenwich, the situation is escalating. Most recently, car windows have been smashed and pets targeted. Rae emphasised that this is the result of turning a blind eye to an urgent matter.
A Greenwich Council spokesperson said: “Cruelty against animals is not only abhorrent – it is a criminal offence. We ensure that any incidents reported to us are passed to the Police, working with Safer Neighbourhood Teams and key partners such as Friends of Park Groups and Greenwich Wildlife Network to gather intelligence and help identify culprits.
“We will increase Park Ranger or Safer Spaces patrols in areas if deemed necessary and take appropriate enforcement action against anyone found causing harm to animals, whether that is to wildlife or pets.”
Rae noted that s, conducting age verification checks, and enrolling young people in re-education programmes aimed at promoting empathy towards animals and nature preservation.
“Generally we’d just like to see a change”, Rae stated, “there needs to be a harsher punishment than taking these kids home and telling their parents what they did.”
Put simply, the charity is pushing for animal cruelty to be taken more seriously. UK law states, in the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981, that people found guilty of wildlife crimes can face an unlimited fine and imprisonment for up to six months.
“Don’t be afraid to call 999 to report any attacks if you see one. This is not a minor infraction, it is a crime in action”, she advised.
GWN started a petition to regulate catapult sales, with 24,520 signatures, which closed in May 2025. Once again, the government’s response fell short to what they hoped: “The Government will keep this issue under review, balancing the concern over the need to protect wildlife from the minority who misuse catapults, with respect for their legitimate use by anglers.”
Rae continues to advocate for the End Catapult Cruelty Campaign, fighting against the senseless killings of wild animals, which can be accessed at EndCatapultCruelty.com for more information.
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