Animal cruelty cases have dramatically spiked in Hampshire, the RSPCA has revealed.

The charity has received 1,078 reports so far this year, equating to 41 reports made per week.

But a stark warning has been issued – the worst is yet to come as the summer approaches.

Among the cases reported to the RSPCA this year was one of a man cropping dogs’ ears.

The man, who admitted seven offences, was handed a 16-week suspended jail sentence for the cruel acts.

He was also slapped with a five-year year ban on owning, keeping and participating in the keeping of dogs, and told to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.

(Image: RSPCA)

The RSPCA was notified of his crimes after the charity’s special operations unit discovered he was arranging for puppies’ ears to be cropped.

RSPCA Inspector Caroline Richardson said: “Ear cropping is a painful and illegal procedure that carries no benefits at all to the dogs - so this was a really concerning case.

“Officers found a number of adult dogs, with cropped ears, as well as a litter of puppies, being kept inside the house as well as in an outbuilding at the bottom of the garden.”

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Several cases about animal abuse have been heard at Southampton Magistrates’ Court in recent months.

Carrie Hansford from Totton left her 10-year-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier Rocky to starve in piles of his own faeces and rubbish.

She was banned from keeping animals for five years because of her cruel actions.

Across England and Wales, there have already been 44,879 reports of cruelty towards animals so far this year.

This is more than two percent higher than the 43,983 calls received during the same timeframe last year.

The animal welfare charity has now launched its ‘No Animal Deserves Cruelty’ summer appeal as it responds to this seasonal peak in cruelty.

Karen Colman, who heads up the RSPCA welfare oversight team, said: “Sadly, animal cruelty reports are on the rise this year - and in Hampshire alone, we’ve seen 1,078 animal cruelty reports already this year.

“Reports of international harm towards animals and beatings also rose sharply across the country last summer - so we’re preparing for a difficult period ahead.

“Our appeal seeks to tackle the rising and alarming levels of cruelty by raising vital funds to help those animals in desperate need - because every animal deserves kindness.”