 In one incident, a dog's ears were cut off |
Animal welfare campaigners have revealed that more than 6,000 complaints about cruelty were reported in Wales last year. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) is calling for tighter laws to prevent more cases.
Statistics released on Wednesday show that, in the past year, the RSPCA carried out 49 prosecutions in Wales and rescued more than 450 animals. Dogs and puppies are most at risk, followed by farm animals.
Earlier this month, the UK Government announced plans for the biggest change in animal cruelty laws in Wales and England for nearly a century. The current law dates back to 1911.
The RSPCA hopes a new Animal Welfare Bill will introduce a duty of care for pet owners and farmers to maintain minimum standards.
The society says it has seen numerous serious cases in Wales the past year.
South Wales Inspector Rohan Barker was called to Dreonen, Pontyberem, Llanelli, and found the emaciated carcass of Charlie, a white boxer dog. The dog was still attached to a tether with a choker type chain. When the owner was taken to court, a magistrate described the incident was as the worst example of animal cruelty he had ever witnessed.
Bethan Mair Ross pleaded guilty to neglect. She received a life ban on the keeping of any animal, a fine of �500 and a further �300 costs.
When the dog was found, all his major bones were visible through the skin, and when weighed, he was 16.2kg - way below the normal weight of around 28kg.
"The sight of this young dog lying in the back yard was horrifying and will live with me for ever," Inspector Barker said.
"There is no excuse for allowing an animal to starve to death. The immense suffering this animal endured is heartbreaking."
 The RSPCA re-homes thousands of animals each year |
Inspector Christine McNeil was shocked when she was called to a house in Porth, Rhondda, and found Star, a young Saluki, severely underweight. A vet said the normal weight of a young Saluki should be about 19kg , but Star weighed just 7.4kg.
The dog had been starved over a long period of time. As well as being dehydrated and anaemic, she had a murmur on both heart valves.
Michael Jarman and Gaynor Mitchell pleaded guilty at Pontypridd Magistrates Court in February 2003 to causing unnecessary suffering, and both were banned for keeping any animal for 10 years.
Ms Mitchell was fined �100, Mr Jarman was ordered to pay costs of �250 and to complete 100-hours community punishment order.
Fortunately, after two months in the care of the RSPCA, he condition had improved considerably and she had regained weight.
"She was without doubt the thinnest dog I have ever seen," Inspector McNeill said. "To see her now you wouldn't know it was the same animal."
In May, the society condemned an attack in which a greyhound was shot in the head and its ears cut off before being dumped alive on a mountain. The incident was called "barbaric". A society spokesman said the "deeply distressed" animal may have once been a racing dog.
Its ears, probably tattooed, had been cut off to stop identification.
The greyhound was put down after being found by a person walking their dog near Fochriw in the Rhymney Valley.
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