Warning: Upsetting images

A starving and abandoned dog who was found covered in urine resorted to eating bits of glass and old batteries.

The dog, named Eric by veterinary staff, was so thin that his ribs could be clearly seen poking through his fur and he could not stand or lift his head.

He was so weak when rescued that he collapsed and had to be wrapped in metallic thermal blankets to keep warm.

Heart-breaking photos show his claws had grown so long that they curled over.

The dog, described as a bull breed type, was found languishing in the garden of an empty council house in Accrington, Lancashire by a member of the public earlier this month.

RSPCA inspector Nina Small said: ‘As well as being the thinnest dog I’ve ever seen alive, he had very overgrown nails and was absolutely covered in urine.

‘His faeces had pieces of glass and metal as big as a 50 pence piece in it, and bits of batteries.

‘I believe poor Eric has been confined somewhere out of sight, eating whatever he’s been able to get in his mouth, perhaps in a garage or a shed.’

Luckily Eric is being given round-the-clock care and is on the road to recovery while an investigation is carried out to trace his owners.

He was in hospital for a week and has put on nearly a kilo since going on a recovery diet.

He can now stand, take a few steps and has just gone to a foster home.

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The RSPCA have made enquiries around the area but no one has said they recognise him.

He is not microchipped, which has been required by law since 2016, making it difficult to hunt for the owner.

Anyone with information should call the RSPCA’s appeal line on 0300 123 8018.

An emaciated dog that collapsed in woodland may have been deliberately blinded, say the RSPCA officers who found him.

The ‘extremely underweight’ Akita was found with pus coming from his eyes, a matted coat and sores all over his body.

Officers who rescued the dog – nicknamed Peter – initially believed that he couldn’t open his eyes because of an infection.

But vets now think he may have suffered ‘a blunt trauma to the head’, either from a deliberate attack or from being hit by a car.

They are keen to get in touch with Peter’s owners to find out how he ended up slumped in woodland off Kent Street in Wigan on Thursday afternoon.

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He was rushed to the RSPCA’s Greater Manchester Animal Hospital.

Inspector Helen Smith said: ‘He was very skinny, you could see his ribs.

‘His breathing was also shallow and his coat was matted. The caller reported that he kept trying to stand up but would collapse back on to the ground.’

She added: ‘He’s very thin and has sores all over his body. He was dehydrated and lethargic when he first arrived.

‘Initially we believe he was blinded in both eyes and couldn’t open his eyes due to a nasty infection. But vets believe he may have had a blunt trauma to the head – either the result of a deliberate attack or a road traffic collision – which is causing the swelling to his eyes.’

Vets will continue to treat Peter amid the wider investigation into his condition.

Inspector Smith will carry out enquiries in the local area but is also appealing to the public for help in tracing his owner.

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She said: ‘He may have been hit by a car before running off into the woods or he may have been abandoned there so I’m really keen to track down his owner and find out more about him.’

Peter, who wasn’t microchipped, is believed to be around seven-years-old.

Anyone with any information that could help should contact the RSPCA’s appeal line on 0300 123 8018.

A man was caught dragging a dachshund around a shop by the scruff of its neck in sickening CCTV footage.

The tiny dog does not appear to want to go any further down the aisle when the owner picks it up off the floor.

Its little body helplessly flops by its owner’s side as he goes on shopping, picking up some drinks before heading to the tills.

A shocked shopper alerted the RSPCA who have launched an investigation to trace the man.

He was filmed between midday and 12.30pm on 15 February at the Co-Op in Turpin Avenue, Romford, Essex.

Inspector Jemima Cooper is leading the probe, and said: ‘We were contacted by another customer in the shop who was concerned by the man’s treatment of the dog so I visited and spoke to staff who reviewed the CCTV and found this upsetting footage.

‘The little dog doesn’t seem to want to go into the shop but is dragged in and along the aisles.

‘While the man is casually perusing the shelves he grabs the dog by his neck and picks him up before carrying him around the store as he continues his shopping.

‘This is no way to handle or carry a dog and could be extremely painful and uncomfortable for the dog.’

Anyone who recognises the man or the dog should contact the RSPCA’s appeal line by calling 0300 123 8018 and leaving a message for Inspector Cooper.

She added: ‘I’m really keen to speak to this man and would ask that anyone who knows him or saw what happened on the day to get in touch.’

He was dressed in a black baseball cap, black trainers with a grey sweatshirt and grey jogging bottoms.

Distressing video shows a Staffordshire bull terrier chained up and forced to run on a treadmill.

It has no way of escaping so has to keep running despite becoming exhausted, with its tongue hanging out.

Breeders use this as part of training to make their dogs killers, forced to fight others to the death as a cruel spectator sport.

The RSPCA released footage showing the tactics used, saying the sport is ‘rife’, despite being illegal for almost 200 years.

In just four years, they received almost 8,000 reports of dog fighting in the UK.

Last month, a group who trained and bred dogs for fighting in Lincolnshire and Wales were convicted following a trial.

John Knibbs, 55, was found with eight dogs at his home in September 2017.

Investigators found video and photos on his phone showing dogs being trained and forced to fight, as well as messages talking about ‘crushing of bones’.

Many of the dogs forced to fight are banned breeds such as pit bull terriers. It means that even if they are rescued, they cannot be rehomed and have to be put down – a practice the RSPCA is opposed to.

One dog which did have a happy ending is Kali, a staffie found cowering in a garden in Hertfordshire in March 2017.

She was covered in scars, open wounds and bloody bite marks. RSPCA officers traced her owner – who was later convicted at court of animal welfare offences – and she was taken into care for treatment and rehabilitation.

Georgina Arnold and boyfriend Owen Gray, from Yaxley in Cambridgeshire, read about Kali’s story in the local newspaper and adopted her.

‘We love her so much, we couldn’t be without her now,’ Georgina said.

‘She has scars and is missing teeth so she has been through a lot. But she is so kind, she is like a teddy bear, there’s not a bad bone in her body. I’m just glad that she’s safe now and she’ll never have to know fear or cruelty again.’

RSPCA inspector Mike Butcher said: ‘It’s incredible that Kali has recovered from her awful ordeal and gone on to a loving new home where she’ll be safe and cared for.

‘Sadly, the reality is that for many dogs, this will never happen. Dogs who win fights are prized and are often treated like kings. But those who refuse to fight or lose are often abandoned or barbarically killed.

‘The dog fighting world is a dark and frightening place. But it could be happening in an inner-city warehouse next door to your office or on a rural farm in your quiet village.’

He urged anyone with concerns to contact the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999.

A couple have been banned from keeping dogs for five years after ‘mutilating’ seven puppies by illegally docking their tails.

Former butcher Wayne Glasby, 37, and Joanne Glasby, 50, claimed they ‘had not even noticed’ the tails were missing when the RSPCA visited them on November 30.

Joanne Glasby even tried to claim she had never even seen the puppies before – even though the pictures had been taken in her house.

Officers were alerted to the abuse when the pair advertised the puppies for sale online.

During the inspection four puppies, aged around six to seven weeks, with docked tails were found and a further three were identified from photographs.

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Prosecutor Andy Cash told Sheffield Magistrates’ Court that two of the puppies’ tails were left hanging off with the bone exposed due to the illegal procedure.

Under the law, only proven working dogs can have their tails docked by a trained vet before they are five days old.

But RSPCA Inspector Leanne Booth said: ‘By their own admission these poor puppies had their tails docked by the Glasbys at five weeks old, way beyond what is allowed by law when conducted by a vet.’

Docking involves cutting the blood supply off from the tail until it falls off.

The Glasby’s were found to have tried to carry out the procedure at their home in Thurcroft, near Rotherham, South Yorkshire, using lamb docking rings.

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Mr Cash said it would have left the puppies in ‘unnecessary pain which is anticipated to have lasted a few days.’

When Wayne Glasby was interviewed by police he admitted owning the puppies but denied docking their tails, instead claiming a vet had done it.

But when attempts were made to contact the vet it was found out they did not exist.

Joanne Glasby told officers she was also responsible for the puppies and denied knowing who was responsible for docking their tails.

Helen White, mitigating, said her clients had rehomed all the dogs ahead of the hearing apart from a 12-year-old lurcher that they hoped a relative would take care of.

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She said Joanne Glasby had no previous offences and the proceedings had a ‘traumatic’ impact on the couple, who kept a smallholding with a pony, sheep and lambs.

Deputy district judge Derek French said they were ‘serious offences’, and added: ‘There’s no doubt that these dogs would have been under extreme discomfort and that is not acceptable.

‘It concerns me that you run a smallholding which you use to look after sheep and lambs but I don’t have any evidence in front of me about their welfare.’

As well as the ban, the couple were also sentenced to a 12 month community order including 150 hours of unpaid work each.

Each was ordered to pay £600 costs and an £85 surcharge.

A tiny fox cub was left with a saucer of water in a cardboard box to wait for his mother to pick him up.

Ian the fox had to be rescued by London’s fire brigade after he got stuck inside a wall cavity.

He is doing really well after his ordeal (which you can tell if you look at his cute little face.)

Firefighters in #Kensington rescued a baby fox after it became stuck in a wall cavity in #Bayswater. The tiny fox, named Ian after a soon-to-be retiring colleague, was left safely to wait for his mother on advice from @RSPCA_official https://t.co/LUGJAmgiPd pic.twitter.com/JOMJTWfj5K

— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) April 2, 2019

Firefighter Scott Magdalani wrote: ‘Ian was a very tough and noisy little fox. He wasn’t phased at all when we had to saw a hole in the wall to release him.’

He said: ‘The baby fox had somehow become trapped in the wall cavity of a ground floor shop.

‘We used a saw to cut a hole in the wall and released him safely.

‘We decided to call him Ian after Firefighter Ian Broomfield who is retiring in a few days time. The RSPCA advised us to leave Ian in a box with some water as his mother will be most likely come back and look for him.

Politics is on fire but let's all draw comfort from the fact that Ian's ok. https://t.co/Edsx2kA2uA

— Alice Ross (@aliceross_) April 2, 2019

‘I went back after work and saw that the box had gone. I rang an emergency vet to see if anyone had taken Ian into them. They said no and it was most likely that the mother had come back for him just as the RSPCA had said.’

However, a fox rescuer later said she had been alerted by a member of the public and come to rescue Ian, who is safe.

Karen Heath wrote: ‘Actually this story has a different ending! This cub is in our care at Mama Cat Trust after we were called (as fox rescuers) by a concerned member of the public.’

One fire engine and five firefighters attended the scene to rescue Ian after being called at 4.32pm yesterday.

If you see an animal in distress, contact the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999.

One of Britain’s loneliest cats is desperately looking for a home.

Lady is one of the RSPCA’s longest staying cats.

The black and white cat has been waiting for someone to adopt her for more than 430 days – making her one of the loneliest cats in the UK.

The five-year-old feline has been described as being ‘sweet, affectionate and playful’ by those looking after her in the RSPCA Suffolk East & Ipswich Branch.

When Lady arrived at the centre, she had sore skin, but after being put on a new diet this calmed down.

Lady needs a lot of attention, so those looking to home her will have to be someone with no other pets. She had a home for a short period of time but didn’t get on with the family’s other pet, so was returned to the shelter.

Lady also needs outdoor space to roam and explore.

Another lonely cat looking for a home is Twizzle.

He’s been waiting at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home for someone to come and adopt him for over 125 days – even though the average stay of a cat is just 23 days.

Staff at the rescue centre believe the reason for Twizzle’s unusually long stay is due to him testing positive for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) – a slow-acting and contagious virus that is most commonly transmitted by deep bite wounds.

Due to the contagious nature of the infection, Battersea rehomes FIV+ cats to homes with enclosed gardens to prevent cats from mixing with one another and potentially spreading the virus, a requirement that could rule out some potential owners.

Although most cats who are FIV+ live a long and happy life with no health issues, in some cases cats can become unwell due to their FIV infection, so people may not want to adopt cats like Twizzle.

Battersea’s Cattery Team Leader, Rosa Steele said: ‘Twizzle is such a lovely cat and it’s a huge shame that he has been waiting for so long to find a home.

‘He is an intelligent, playful cat and has a lot to offer as a pet. What better birthday gift could you give one of our cats than a loving new home?’

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An appeal has been launched after a cat was shot in the neck with an air gun in Liverpool.

Romeo, two, was found whimpering by his owners on Monday, April 1, having managed to make his way back to his home in Croxteth.

They then took him to the vets, who discovered the black and white pet had an air gun pellet lodged in his skin.

Fortunately they were able to remove it from his neck and he is now in recovery.

RSPCA inspectors believe that Romeo was injured in a deliberate attack and said he was ‘lucky’ his injuries weren’t more serious.

Helen Smith said: ‘Poor Romeo must have been in such a lot of pain after being shot, and he’s a very lucky boy that the injury wasn’t more serious.

‘Sadly, we do see cases where pet cats are shot and suffer catastrophic injuries, some having to have a leg amputated or even some not making it and dying as a result of their injury.

‘It’s possible that Romeo was shot by accident, but also I am concerned that he may have been deliberately targeted.

‘Anybody with any information about who may be responsible for injuring Romeo can call our inspector’s appeal line number on 0300 123 8018, where they can leave me a message in complete confidence.’

A pet cat has returned to his owners after getting lost inside two car engines.

10-year-old Harry got in the engine compartment of his owner’s car, and then got stuck in a second vehicle after she stopped in traffic.

Harry was hiding in Tracey Wilson’s car when she made her daily commute to work, and as soon as she stopped in traffic, scared Harry ran out and climbed into another engine parked on a nearby drive.

Tracey and her daughter Leona, 17, desperately searched for missing Harry around their home with no luck.

It was only when the RSPCA was called to a property four miles away from their home after a motorist found the ginger cat stuck inside their car engine.

Tracey said: ‘I believe he’d been hiding in my car engine and then fell out while I was sat in traffic that day.

‘I am so grateful to the RSPCA for their help rescuing him and to the couple who owned the car.’

RSPCA Inspector Natalie Taylor said the owners of the vehicle had become worried after hearing crying from the engine.

She said: ‘The car had been sat on their drive for a week and the owners said they became concerned when they heard crying from inside. When I arrived I found Harry wedged inside the engine.

‘He was trying to push himself out of a very small gap in the wheel arch but was stuck fast.

‘I managed to scan him for a microchip and contact his owners who rushed straight down to us to help me free the frightened puss.’

Harry is usually kept indoors so Tracey immediately knew something was wrong when he went missing on March 27 from his home in Great Harwood, Lancs.

She said: ‘We got Harry in December 2015.

‘He’d been found living stray in the KFC car park in Accrington and I took him on. He has always been a house cat and very rarely wants to go out.

‘Harry was found in Whalley, which is more than four miles from our home. I drive along this road every day on my way to work.’

Inspector Taylor believes the frightened cat then made a dash for the nearest driveway and clambered inside another car engine where he felt safe – before getting stuck.

She added: ‘Harry obviously has a taste for car engines having buried himself in two in one day.

‘He was lucky we were able to free him and he wasn’t seriously hurt.

‘While he had injured a toe and needed some veterinary treatment, I’m pleased he’s now back home where he belongs and is doing well.’

Tracey added: ‘Harry is improving every day, the swelling has gone down in both feet and he is managing to climb on to the window sill and chairs in the house like he used to do.

‘It looks like he will always have a wonky toe though.’

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People have rallied around to try and ‘save’ a pony filmed collapsing in a Lidl car park.

Viral footage showed the pony, seemingly thin and in poor condition, rear up before falling backwards to the ground.

It was pictured lying on the ground still wearing a harness to pull a cart.

Swansea woman Sandra Kvaerneng Stolp has launched a campaign to save it and has been backed by 5,000 people.

Miss Stolp, who owns the Whispering Willows Sanctuary saw the video and immediately travelled the 150 miles to Deeside to try to buy the pony.

Thousands of people donated money to try and buy the horse and let it live in a horse sanctuary, after seeing the video captured at the supermarket in Queensferry, Flintshire, North Wales.

Miss Stolp had agreed to buy the pony from the owner for £2,000 but when she arrived on Thursday, April 18, she was told the pony had been taken to a vet by the RSPCA .

‘We go above and beyond to help animals,’ said Miss Stolp.

‘It doesn’t matter if they are in North Wales. But the owner told us the RSPCA had called and bought a vet out and the poor pony needed treatment.

‘We said we would still buy the pony, and were totally prepared to pay all the vet’s bills.’

In just 24 hours, Whispering Willows had doubled its following on Facebook as people donated money and added their support.

The vet’s bill had already topped £750 and the vet had confirmed Gary would require on-going treatment.

‘We went back to the owner to negotiate the price,” said Miss Stolp.

‘But he wanted £2,000 or said the horse could stay where it was.’

The RSPCA said the horse had been returned to its owner after having veterinary treatment.

A spokeswoman for North Flintshire Police said: ‘In response to public concern, we are aware of an incident at a car park in Queensferry involving a horse. It is being dealt with by the RSPCA and Flintshire County Council.

‘An RSPCA investigation has been launched after the footage emerged.’

An RSPCA spokesman said: ‘We have been looking into concerns about the Queensferry horse for several days. Our officers have visited several times and have also taken independent vets to assess the pony.

‘We are unable to give any further details about this incident for legal reasons. That doesn’t mean we are ignoring the situation and we can assure you we take all allegations of cruelty or neglect seriously.

‘The RSPCA has no more powers than members of the public to remove animals and we have to work within the law at all times. An animal can only be legally removed from an owner when they have been seized by police.’

It comes as two men were arrested in a separate incident where a horse collapsed in a Cardiff street.

Police and members of the public went to assist and people from nearby pubs took water to the animal.

The horse was taken into care and has been described as doing well, but is being monitored after suffering heatstroke.

She has been examined by a vet who believes she is carrying a foal.

A little tawny owl needed a good scrub after she fell into a slurry farmer’s pit and miraculously survived.

The filthy bird was found curled up beside the pit of animal faeces and waste in a ‘disgusting’ state, with vets predicting she’d die.

Rescuers said she nearly drowned but after being thoroughly cleaned, she is now being cared for at an RSPCA wildlife centre in Somerset.

The team hope the little owl will make a full recovery after her ordeal.

Luckily she was spotted by a passerby who informed the RSPCA and sent down inspector Marije Zwager to collect her from the scene at Broadhembury, near Honiton, Devon.

Marije said: ‘The poor tawny owl was in a right state.

‘Her beautiful feathers were absolutely filthy and stuck together with thick, black slurry. I held out little hope she would survive this ordeal.

‘She’s very lucky to be alive as she very nearly drowned in the slurry.’

Marije took her to the RSPCA West Hatch Wildlife Centre where staff gave her a deep-clean and long hot bath.

Manager Bel Deering said when she arrived she was freezing and in poor spirits.

Bel added: ‘When we admitted the owl she was very cold, sad and dirty. It was hard to tell what condition she was in and whether she would survive due to all the contamination.

‘After being warmed up, rested and receiving fluid therapy, she was washed in our specialist bird wash room.

‘Thankfully the slurry came off well and, after drying, a beautiful tawny owl appeared again!’

The little owl will now be monitored by the team and once well enough, she will be released back into the wild near the area she was found.

Ten puppies have been given names after Marvel characters after they were found abandoned in a plastic box in Newport.

The white, black and tan lurcher-type dogs were discovered by their very own superhero member of the public who took them to an animal rescue centre.

They have not been injured, but RSPCA said some of the dogs look underweight.

After a rough start to life, they’re now being cared for by staff who have honoured them with new hero identities.

The girls have been called Mary Jayne after Spider-Man’s main love interest, Jessica Jones after the New Avengers member, Hope after the superheroine who first appeared in X-Men, Wanda after the Scarlet Witch and Gwen after Spider-Woman.

And the boys have been named Groot after the tree-like superhero, Quicksilver after the character with superhuman speed, Franklin after the Fantastic Four hero, Loki after Thor’s adopted brother and Logan after Wolverine.

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The dogs were left on their own in the small box near Iron Age hill fort just off Bassaleg Road.

RSPCA inspector Izzi Hignell is appealing for information and said: ‘The puppies were just abandoned in a box – left on their own.

‘They must have been so frightened. The box was small for the number of puppies so they were on top of each other.

‘Luckily a member the public found them and took them to our centre for safety.

‘They are not unwell but a few look underweight and will be monitored. They are currently at a veterinary practice and will be soon taken to RSPCA Newport Animal Centre.

‘It is just so sad that someone didn’t know where to get help and just decided to dump these poor puppies.’

A puppy was found in a field after being wrapped up in a bin bag and ‘buried alive’.

RSPCA inspectors said they were ‘heartbroken’ that the puppy didn’t survive the ‘hideous act of cruelty’.

A dog walker was out on Saturday April 27 training their working dogs when they made the shocking discovery in a field in Leyland, behind Worden Park in Lancashire.

Investigating RSPCA Inspector Alison Fletcher, said: ‘When the dogs didn’t return their owner went to find them and realised they’d sniffed out a mound of disturbed earth in the middle of the field.

‘When they looked closely they spotted a little cream-coloured head poking out of the ground.

‘The puppy had been wrapped up in a bin bag and buried alive.’

He was taken home by the dog walker who immediately alerted the RSPCA, who said he was around nine weeks old and a Pomeranian-type breed.

The tiny puppy had a broken front leg and a broken rear leg so was unable to walk or move.

Inspector Fletcher added: ‘What a hideous act of cruelty to walk out to the middle of nowhere, dig a grave and bury this poor puppy alive in the dirt. It’s disgusting.

‘I can’t believe this little one was found, he was so lucky or he could have suffered the most unimaginably slow and painful death.’

The pup was taken for urgent veterinary treatment but his injuries were so severe that he had to be put to sleep.

Inspector Fletcher said: ‘I am absolutely heartbroken that vets weren’t able to save this innocent, loving little puppy. He didn’t deserve this ending…

‘It’s extremely suspicious that this little pup had such serious broken legs which, seemingly, hadn’t been treated.

‘And for someone to abandon him in such shocking circumstances, in what appears to be an attempt to kill him, is utterly shocking.’

She added that they’ve now launched a full investigation into the incident and have appealed to the public to contact them if they recognise the puppy, or know anyone who had a litter of Pomeranian puppies recently, or bought a Pomeranian but no longer has it.

Anyone who can help with the investigation is urged to get in touch via the appeal line on 0300 123 8018.

A seal found with a severely infected wound after a plastic frisbee got stuck around her neck has been released back into the wild.

The Atlantic grey seal, named Pinkafo, has become the second of her kind to be released back into the sea off the coast of East Anglia.

She was nursed back to health then released at Norfolk’s Horsey Beach on Wednesday, almost 15 months after a seal nicknamed Mrs Frisbee was released at the same spot.

Volunteers from Friends of Horsey Seals and Marine and Wildlife Rescue caught Pinkafo at Waxham Beach in December and took her to RSPCA’s centre at East Winch, near King’s Lynn.

A pink plastic frisbee was embedded in her neck, causing a deep wound which had become severely infected.

It echoed the injuries to Mrs Frisbee, who was found with a yellow frisbee cutting into her neck in September 2017.

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A third seal, named Sir David – after nature broadcaster Sir David Attenborough – was found with a plastic frisbee deeply embedded in his neck last month and is still being cared for at the RSPCA wildlife centre.

Pinkafo, who weighed 10st 7lb on release, was treated with antibiotics, pain relief and regular salt baths.

Her injury is still visible, but it had healed enough for her to be released and will continue to improve and mend in the salt water of the sea.

RSPCA’s Alison Charles said: ‘Pinkafo has had a long, difficult road to recovery, so it is wonderful to see her bound back into the sea where she belongs.

‘The staff and volunteers have been incredible and have put in so much hard work in Pinkafo’s care. Watching her return back to the wild is the result we all wanted to see.’

She said the frisbee was cut off with surgical scissors, and it took three days before she started to eat.

Alison continued: ‘She later went into an outside pool, and she continued to get fitter and stronger and grumpier as the weeks went by.

‘She was certainly ready to get back to the wild.’

She said Pinkafo’s recovery would not have been possible without all involved in her care and those who donate to the RSPCA.

Alison added: ‘Although this is a happy ending for Pinkafo, there are still sadly other seals on our coastlines with frisbees caught around their necks, and we still have Sir David in our care, who will require months of TLC before he too is ready to return to the wild.’

Sir David is likely to be in RSPCA care for at least five months and he requires salt baths as part of his rehabilitation, she said.

The weather may seem a little grey and cold right now, but summer is well on its way.

While the idea blazing sunshine might seem appealing, the rising temperatures can become deadly for any dogs who are left in hot cars.

Despite multiple campaigns alerting people to the dangers of leaving your pet in the car, last summer saw a three-year high of reports of animals suffering from heat exhaustion.

The RSPCA reported 8,290 calls relating to animals and heat exhaustion in 2018 – 90 per cent of which were about dogs in hot cars.

Holly Barber, from the RSPCA, said: ‘Last year was our busiest for three years with almost 8,300 emergency calls made to the RSPCA about this issue – that’s a 5 per cent increase from 2017 and a 15 per cent rise from 2016.

‘It’s extremely concerning that despite all of our campaigning, dog owners are still ignoring our warnings and risking their pets’ lives by leaving them alone in cars on warm days.

‘How many more dogs need to die before people realise that split second decision – usually made due to convenience – could have life-changing consequences?’

The reports have continued this year, and the hotter than average Easter weekend saw 166 people call in to report a dog being left in a car as temperatures nudged into the mid-20s.

Cars can become hot very, very, quickly, and when temperatures outside are 22C it can take less than an hour for the inside to reach a deadly 47C.

The problem is wide-spread, with every single county in England and Wales reporting a number of incidents.

London was the worst culprit in 2018, with 620 calls being made to the RSPCA in relation to an animal in trouble due to heatstroke.

West Yorkshire came in seconds, with 285 calls and Kent a close third, with 280 reports.

If you see a dog in a hot car, it is best to dial 999 and report it to police.

The RSPCA may not be able to attend quickly enough and, with no powers of entry, they would need police assistance to break in.

If the situation becomes critical and police can’t attend, many people’s instinct is to break into the car to free the dog.

But please be aware that, without proper justification, this could be classed as criminal damage.

Make sure you tell the police of your intentions and take photos or footage of the dog as well as names and numbers of witnesses.

The law states that you have a lawful excuse to commit damage if you believe that the owner of the property that you damage would consent to the damage if they knew the circumstances.

Once removed from the car, move the dog to a shaded/cool area and douse him/her with cool water. Allow the dog to drink small amounts of cool water.

If the dog isn’t displaying signs of heatstroke, establish how long the dog has been in the car and make a note of the registration.

Ask a member of staff to make an announcement of the situation over the tannoy, if possible, and get someone to stay with the dog to monitor its condition.

You can call the RSPCA’s 24-hour emergency cruelty line on 0300 1234 999 for advice but, if a dog is in danger, dialling 999 should always be the first step.

A dog who suffered one of the worst cases of animal abuse the RSPCA has ever seen has had to be put down.

The Saluki-type lurcher was rushed to the vet after being found dumped on farmland near Bewdley, Worcestershire, with a fractured skull and broken neck.

The dog’s injuries were so bad it was initially thought he may have been run over.

But vets discovered the dog had been savagely beaten and may have been lying in agony for 12 hours before a farmer spotted it at 5pm on April 5.

RSPCA inspector Jonathan Ratcliffe said: ‘We suspect that he may have been used in an illegal activity – such as hare-coursing – the night before or in the early hours of the morning, meaning that he had been left to suffer horrifically for many hours.

‘The dog was in absolute agony it was awful to see.’

He added: ‘In my 12 years as an RSPCA inspector this is one of the worst cases of cruelty I have come across, to leave an animal in such a state of horrendous suffering is despicable.’

The dog was microchipped but the details were not up-to-date and its new owner lived in Bristol.

The RSPCA is now trying to trace the owner to establish how the dog received its injuries and has appealed for anyone with information to come forward.

Mr Ratcliffe said: ‘The dog is a distinctive looking tri-coloured lurcher who was emaciated and he was also wearing a red collar so I am hoping someone will recognise him and will be able to identify his latest owner who lives just north of Bristol.

‘Also I am wanting to see if anyone saw anything suspicious on the night in question or saw any vehicles in the area which may help me trace the owner.’

Dog walkers could be putting themselves at risk of ‘many serious injuries’ by not holding a lead properly, surgeons have warned.

Hospitals up and down the country have seen owners coming in with fractures, dislocations, lacerations and friction burns caused by ‘dog lead or collar misuse’.

People have also knocked their fingers out of place by hooking them under their dog’s collar before the animal lurches or makes a sudden movement.

As well as being painful and traumatic, some injuries can be seriously debilitating and take up to a year to heal – or in extreme cases lead to amputation.

Jillian Tisdale, 65, suffered a ‘degloving’ injury – where the skin and some tissue is ripped off – after her dog’s lead became wrapped around her middle fingers.

She had to have the top of her middle finger amputated and a skin graft placed to repair the damage.

Jillian said the retractable lead became like a ‘fileting knife’ and caused her ‘terrible pain’.

She added: ‘I still can’t form a proper fist yet and I’m continuing to do exercises to strengthen my hand.’

The British Society for Surgery of the Hand (BSSH) has issued advice on how to hold leads and collars in a way that minimises the risk of injury.

They recommend that dog owners should not wrap the lead around their wrists, hands or fingers, or hook their fingers under the dog’s collar.

Instead, hold the loop of the lead in your hand and train the dog to walk next to you.

The surgeons also advise keeping larger dogs on short leads to prevent them building up speed.

There are approximately eight and a half million dogs kept as pets in the UK, according to the RSPCA.

The BSSH said one hospital alone, the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, saw 30 serious hand injuries caused by misuse of dog leads and collars in just one year.

Consultant surgeon Rebecca Dunlop, from Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro, told the Daily Mail: ‘Dogs have a wide range of health benefits for their owners, including reducing stress and helping people stay active.

‘But having seen many serious injuries caused by dog leads and collars, I want dog lovers to be aware of the simple steps they can take to avoid severe damage to their hand.

‘We want to ensure that dog owners are able to carry on enjoying time with their dogs without risking damage to their hand and time in hospital.’

The RSPCA appealed for more information about a video showing a man drop-kicking a cat.

Sickening footage shows a man coaxing a cat towards him, stroking it behind the ears as if he wants to be kind.

Then he pulls his foot back and kicks it, sending it spinning into the air.

The poor animal is sent flying several feet, then gets up and runs away.

In the background, someone can be heard hysterically laughing.

Video was shared on Twitter by the account Protect All Wildlife with the caption: ‘Please RT. Let’s find this oxygen thief!!!!’

It has been shared over 14,000 times.

Among those commenting was Matt Zilic, who wrote: ‘The cat trusted him for that moment. That’s heartbreaking.’

The RSPCA responded: ‘Thanks for tagging us – this has been reported and will be looked into. If you have further information regarding this please report to us on 0300 1234 999 – thanks.’

A spokesperson for the RSPCA later said: ‘We are aware of the clip being circulated on social media and encourage anyone with information to contact us.’

A pug has died after being found with what appear to be dog-fighting injuries.

The little dog was discovered in a park in south Wales by someone who contacted the RSPCA.

When inspectors arrived, they found him struggling to walk and covered in wounds that appeared to be several days old.

Despite being given medicines and fluid, he didn’t pull through and died at a vet’s surgery the next day.

Staff checked and found a microchip, but it was registered to a kennels who said they took him in as a stray but then gave him to someone claiming to be the owner.

RSPCA inspector, Emma Smith, told the South Wales Argus: ‘This poor dog was found in a horrendous state in a Lliswerry Park in Newport – unable to walk, and covered in injuries.

‘A kind-hearted member of the public rushed the dog to the vets, but the injuries were so severe and sadly the dog died a day later.

‘Given the dog’s state, it seems very possible it was deliberately dumped in the park in this way. The injuries were horrific – and potentially consistent with dog fighting activity.

‘A microchip was located – but was out-of-date and registered to boarding kennels who confirmed they had passed the dog on to someone claiming ownership in August 2018.

‘If anyone has any information about an owner, or where about how this dog came to found in such a devastating state, they are urged to contact us. Our inspectorate appeal line is available on 0300 123 8018.’

A woman grabbed a swan, straddled it, and strangled it to death in the middle of public park.

She left its body on the ground, where it was found by police after a passerby alerted them.

They also told the RSPCA when they saw the bird being attacked by a woman in Riverside Park, Chester-le-Street, County Durham, on Thursday evening.

Officers found the swan already dead and spoke to two women in connection with the incident.

The RSPCA has appealed for witnesses who saw the bird being killed.

Swans are protected by law and anyone harming a wild bird could be jailed, the charity said.

RSPCA inspector Trevor Walker said: ‘Police were initially called by a member of the public who saw a woman grab the swan, straddle the bird and wring its neck.

‘Officers attended the scene where they found the adult swan dead – with a soft tissue injury consistent with being strangled – and spoke to two women in connection with the incident.

‘The bird’s body was removed by council workers and we were contacted to investigate.’

He added: ‘This sounds like an extremely upsetting incident and this attack has led to the unnecessary, tragic death of a beautiful bird.

‘I’d like to hear from anybody who was in the park at around 7pm on Thursday evening and who may have seen the incident or the women involved.

‘Anyone with information which could aid our investigation can contact our appeal line on 0300 123 8018 and leave me a message.’