Shocking RSPCA figures reveal 249 animal cruelty cases in Dorset in a year – and 26 convictions.
The RSPCA’s annual figures for 2014 show that the charity has dealt with 249 complaints of direct cruelty in the county- and 26 people were convicted.
Overall there were 28,800 complaints in the South West and central England in 2014. It is an increase year-on-year.
A shocking 3,594 of these complaints involved alleged deliberate and often violent cruelty being inflicted upon animals.
John Grant, RSPCA superintendent for the South West said: “It is extremely concerning that we are still receiving so many complaints about animals being deliberately caused to suffer.
“Most of the complaints we receive involve animals being neglected or not receiving the right care and often we can put that right by offering welfare advice. However, it is shocking that in 2014 people are still being deliberately cruel in what can be disturbingly inventive ways.”
One Dorset case study involved the RSPCA appealing to find the owners of a starving whippet who was found severely underweight and covered in sores last November.
Bramble, the three-year-old whippet, was discovered by a member of the public in Abbotsbury and was so underweight her bones could be clearly seen and she had painful sores over her body and tail.
RSPCA inspector John Pollock said: “Poor Bramble was so thin, she was just skin and bones and had sores all over her body.
“This poor girl needed plenty of tender loving care as she was so thin and the sores were deep and infected. It was desperately sad to see.
“We do not know how long she had been like this and was picked up as a stray. She was in a bad way and despite appeals we never managed to track down her owner.”
Bramble did recover and was re-homed and was even a finalist in the RSPCA Ruffs awards earlier this year, which celebrate the lives of amazing rescue dogs.
The pets most likely to fall victim to cruelty nationally in 2014 were dogs, with 21,084 cases being reported, the majority of which were beatings.
However, the number of animal owners who were offered and accepted welfare advice increased from 76,810 in 2013 to 82,746 in 2014.
James Yeates, the RSPCA chief veterinary officer, said: “Where cruelty is still happening there will be a need to prosecute in the most serious cases and it is upsetting that so many people are still mistreating animals by deliberately causing them harm or by not providing them with the care they deserve.”