THE number of animal cruelty complaints investigated by the RSPCA rose by five per cent last year – with North Yorkshire and County Durham among the top ten counties in England and Wales for convictions.

Among the most harrowing cases highlighted by the charity was that of Baby, an English Bulldog from Redcar, who was head butted, stamped on and repeatedly thrown down the stairs while her attackers filmed her ordeal on a mobile phone.

Equally distressing is the story of Skitz, an English Bull Terrier from Stockton, who was left blind and covered in skin sores after his owners neglected him.

According to the charity’s annual cruelty statistics, released today, RSPCA inspectors investigated 42,984 complaints last year across the North of England, compared to 40,900 in 2015 – an increase of 5.09 per cent. This is slightly above the rise of 4.61 per cent across England and Wales.

In County Durham there was a four per cent increase, from 3,253 to 3,388; Tyne and Wear also saw an increase of four per cent, from 2,803 to 2,891; and in North Yorkshire the number shot up by nine per cent, from 3,001 to 3,299.

The number of people convicted for animal cruelty offences in North Yorkshire also increased from 27 in 2015 to 50 last year. However, in County Durham the number fell from 42 to 26, while in Tyne and Wear it remained the same at 23.

RSPCA chief inspector Mark Gent said: “The number of people convicted of animal cruelty in the North-East is still up there with the highest in the country - North Yorkshire, County Durham, and Tyne and Wear all featuring in the top ten, despite none of them featuring in the top ten for the highest number of complaints investigated.

"But it’s not really about the numbers, it’s about the animals behind the figures.

“We’ve had what you could argue are some of the cruellest cases in the country in the North-East over the past year including of course that of Baby the Bulldog.”

Last March, Andrew Frankish and his brother, Daniel, admitted animal cruelty charges after footage emerged of them inflicting a sustained attack on Baby, who had to be put down.

The brothers were given suspended sentences, fined and banned from keeping animals for life. Almost half a million people signed an online petition calling for them to receive tougher sentences, and Redcar MP Anna Turley tabled a private members bill to increase the maximum sentence from six months to five years for such offences.

The bill is yet to be discussed but Ms Turley is determined to get it back on the agenda in the next session. She will also speak at a select committee meeting about animal welfare issues tomorrow.