THERE were 80 incidents of deliberate cruelty to dogs in 2020 - as new figures reveal two dogs are victims of intentional harm every day in the south west.

According to data released by the RSPCA today, highlight how - despite being called ‘man’s best friend’ - dogs are four times more likely than other pets to be subjected to abuse.

In the south west, the charity’s officers investigated 786 incidents of deliberate cruelty towards dogs in 2020 - 80 of which were in Dorset.

Over four years (2016-2020), 63,881 incidents of intentional harm involving dogs were reported to the RSPCA’s cruelty line; that’s 34 a day or more than one every hour across England and Wales. In 2020, 7,691 reports of intentional harm against dogs were reported to the RSPCA. The charity tends to receive more call during the summer months and between June and August last year the charity received 2,053 reports.

Cases investigated over the last four years in the south west include:

● An extra large bulldog Dora (pictured) and her litter were just a few months old when they were rescued from Bristol; their ears had been hacked off so they could be sold on for more money with the desired - but illegal - cropped look;

● Rottweiler Lulu was heard on audio recordings whimpering and screaming as her owner, from Bristol, attacked her, shouting: “I’ll f***ing 'ave you”;

● Terrier Darby was caught on CCTV being dropped to the ground and kicked by his owner (Somerset);

● Audio recordings picked up 36 hits, punches and slaps as a dog named Hugo was beaten and scolded by his owner, who said: ‘Are you crying now?’, ‘Don’t cower when you’re told off’ (Devon);

● Staffie Rocco lost a leg after suffering at the hands of his owner and vets found he had multiple cuts, a dislocated femur, swelling, two large head wounds, a fractured tooth, three fractured ribs, and a fracture to the right hock (Devon).

The campaign aims to raise funds to keep its rescue teams on the frontline saving animals in desperate need of help as well as raise awareness about how we can all work together to stamp out cruelty for good.

The RSPCA gets around 84,000 calls to its cruelty line every month and around 1,500 of those are about intentional cruelty. But the charity sees a rise in the summer by around 400 calls, on average, per month, which equates to 47 calls every day or two every hour.

To donate to the Cancel Out Cruelty campaign to rescue animals in need, visit www.rspca.org.uk/stopcruelty.