A woman is being held by police after a Yorkshire terrier was ‘stabbed to death’ on a housing estate.
The disturbing attack took place in the Orchard Park estate in Hull, East Yorkshire, and is being investigated by the RSPCA.
A spokeswoman confirmed the charity has launched an investigation but refused to confirm if the woman is being prosecuted.
She told HullLive: ‘We are now looking into this, however, we cannot discuss incidents about specific people and what action may have been taken.
‘We understand how frustrating that is for animal lovers but releasing information could prejudice a future prosecution or could lead to us being fined.
‘We are so grateful to people who report suspected animal suffering to us and we would like to reassure people we will always look into and, if necessary, investigate any complaints made to us about animal welfare.’
Humberside Police said it was aware of the attack, and said it had been passed to the RSPCA for investigation.
Last year tougher prison sentences were introduced which saw the maximum punishment for animal cruelty raised from six months to five years for the most serious cases.
It followed a consultation in 2017 which saw huge support for more serious punishment for animal abusers.
As well as a lengthy jail sentence, offenders can also receive an unlimited fine and be banned from owning pets.
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