Devon has the highest number of reports of animal cruelty in the South West with 3,500 complaints last year, a rise of over 8% on 2015.
However the RSPCA, who released the figures, believes that the rise is down to the public becoming more aware and less tolerant of animal suffering and neglect.
In a statement, the RSPCA claims that social media is partly responsible for the rise in reports of animal cruelty, because people now share images and videos of incidents.
Despite the rise in cases, the number of people convicted of animal cruelty offences in the South West actually fell.
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