Animal cruelty is on the rise in Cambridgeshire, according to new figures released by the RSPCA.

The animal charity said that, as well as receiving 127 district-wide reports last year, three puppies - thought to be only around seven-weeks-old - were found abandoned in Peterborough on January 10 this year.

The two girls and one boy were taken to a nearby vet for emergency treatment and were transferred into the care of of the Block Fen Animal Centre - all three have since been rehomed to loving families.

The RSPCA has since launched its 'Cancel Out Cruelty' campaign, to raise funds to help its frontline rescue teams continue to save animals from cruelty and abuse and to raise awareness about how to stop cruelty to animals for good.

Kathryn Parfitt, RSPCA chief inspector for Cambridgeshire, said: “Right now, animal cruelty is happening in England and Wales on a massive scale and rising. And, sadly, the number of cruelty incidents in Cambridgeshire are also too high. 

“It is heartbreaking that we are seeing figures which show animal cruelty is very sadly on the rise.

“While we don’t know for certain why there has been an increase in reports of cruelty, the cost of living crisis and the post-pandemic world we live in has created an animal welfare crisis with more people getting pets with potentially less time and money to care for them.

“Each year, these reports of cruelty reach its terrible annual peak in the summer months – when, nationally, we receive a report of an animal being beaten on average every hour of every day. 

“The cost-of-living crisis also means the cost of rescuing animals is at an all-time high and our vital services are stretched to the limit.

“Together, we believe we can and will cancel out cruelty to animals by replacing violence with kindness.”

To help support the RSPCA, visit: rspca.org.uk/cancel