Region shamed on pets cruelty

Starved, neglected and left to die, the West Midlands today topped a national table for the number of animal cruelty convictions.

Figures released for 2007 show there were 222 convictions in the region, resulting in 14 prison sentences.

They show 127 defendants were convicted by the courts, with some having more than one charge against them - leading to the higher number of convictions.

In the West region, which includes the West Midlands, Staffordshire and Worcestershire, there are several cases of pets being neglected and harmed.

In one case, a starved puppy was dumped in a bin, and in another, inspectors found a dog with an ulcerated tumour the size of a football.

The RSPCA also dealt with a lame goat found in Albrighton in 2006. The goat was rehomed but has since died of an unrelated cause.

Acting superintendent for the RSPCA Wales & West, Romain de Kerckhove, said: "These animals are the helpless victims of our throwaway society."