THE number of people convicted for animal welfare offences in Herefordshire has risen.
Figures released by the RSPCA this week show that in 2014 a total of four people were convicted, while the figure rose slightly to six in 2015.
Rescues in the county have decreased however, with 249 animals needing help from the RSPCA in 2014 and 239 needing assistance in 2015.
The charity’s annual cruelty statistics show that almost 54% of complaints investigated by the RSPCA in the South-West region in 2015 related to dogs.
That compares to nearly 24% of investigations related to cats – the second most abused pet.
A total of 316 complaints relating to dogs were investigated in Herefordshire while 75 cases involved cats.
Dermot Murphy, assistant director for the Inspectorate, said: “People think of dogs as man’s best friend but these statistics tell a different story. They are by far the most abused animal in this country and we investigate more complaints about them than any other species."
The number of owners who were offered and accepted animal welfare advice has shown a decrease in the county, in contrast with a general increase across the region.
In 2014, 244 people accepted advice while in 2015 the figure was down to 216.
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