'It's heartbreaking that more dogs need our help'

The RSPCA says it receives more reports of cruelty in the summer than any other time of year

Reported cases of cruelty to dogs are on the rise in Kent amid a national increase.

The RSPCA received 1,688 reports of cruelty to dogs in the county in 2023, compared with 1,504 in 2022 - an increase of more than 12%.

Nationally, the charity received 52,662 reports in 2023, compared with 48,567 in the previous year.

RSPCA chief executive Chris Sherwood said: “It is heartbreaking that more dogs need our help. We need to make a stand against this and say ‘no more’."

The number of reports nationally has been rising year-on-year since the pandemic, according to the RSPCA.

Mr Sherwood said: “Dogs are supposed to be man’s best friend, yet more and more dogs are being subjected to cruelty every year."

The new data has been released as part of the organisation's No Animal Deserves Cruelty appeal. The summer months are the busiest for cruelty reports.

The RSPCA recently revealed that Kent had the highest number of weapons attacks against animals in England and Wales.