More than 1,000 cases of horse cruelty were reported in the region

Derbyshire had more than 2,600 reported cases in the past year - an increase of 400 over the previous year.

Lincolnshire had 2,800 reported cases - an increase of 74 in one year, while in Notts there were a total of 3,500 cases compared to 2,300 a year earlier.

The charity said dogs were most at risk with nearly 20,000 not getting the basic care they needed across the UK.

In Leicestershire, there were 3,323 cases reported - a jump of 29 from a year earlier.

Duty of care

There were more than 1,000 cases of cruelty to horses in the East Midlands, the report found.

RSPCA Midlands superintendent Tim Wass said the figures are rising as a result of several factors, including more reporting by the public and better investigation techniques by officers.

It beggars belief that people will not take animals to the vet when they need treatment Supt Tim Wass, RSPCA

But he said the 22 convictions - as a result of the Nottinghamshire complaints - was not high enough.

"The bill puts a duty of care on the owner of animals - often if a pet owner ignores our advice there is no penalty.

"It beggars belief that people will not take animals to the vet when they need treatment or will abandon animals instead of taking them to boarding kennels."

He said the figures are startling and "for a nation of animals lovers, we should be kicking ourselves in the backside."

The RSPCA says it has recorded an almost 80% increase in animal neglect across the UK over the past year.

One case in Leicestershire saw 28 rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters and rats taken from a woman who had stuffed five of the rabbits into a tiny hamster cage.

In another case in Nottinghamshire, a dog had a matted coat that made up almost a quarter of her body weight.

The RSPCA is now calling on the government to bring in a new Animal Welfare Bill.