A STARVING poodle with an infected jaw was left abandoned on a Southampton street.

The neglected dog was found by a member of the public off South East Road in Sholing on August 25 last year.

The RSPCA is sharing his story after heartbreaking figures revealed that animal cruelty is on the rise in Hampshire.

The dog was found with an infected jaw that had been left to rot leaving him unable to eat.

He was rushed to the vets, who in turn called the RSPCA.

The poodle was skin and bone, heavily matted and dirty, and had discharge from his mouth.

Veterinary examinations found he was in need of urgent care and attention and had to have emergency surgery.

RSPCA animal collection officer Justine Hermon said: “He was in a horrendous state when he was rescued.

"The pictures don't do justice to the awful condition of this poor dog and the amount of pain and suffering he has been in for so long.

"The veterinary team did an amazing job and were able to save his life.”

The RSPCA figures show an alarming increase in intentional cruelty against animals including 373 reports in Hampshire last year - an increase of 32 per cent compared to 2021.

In Hampshire there were 373 reports of intentional harm against animals made to the RSPCA last year compared to 282 in 2021.

Paul Williams, chief inspector for Hampshire, 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 Hampshire 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.”

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