More than 6,000 reports of animal cruelty were made to the RSPCA in just three months last summer - the equivalent of a call every 10 minutes.
New figures released by the charity show a dramatic surge in cases during its busiest period, with 6,322 calls logged to its emergency line across England and Wales between June and August 2025.
The scale of the problem has grown in recent years. During the same summer period in 2021, the RSPCA received 3,852 calls, meaning reports have soared by 64 per cent in four years.
The rise is continuing year-on-year, with annual cruelty reports climbing by 22 per cent, from 17,260 in 2024 to 21,117 in 2025.
Among the animals caught up in this surge is Desmond, an 11-month-old Malinois cross, who is currently being cared for at RSPCA Ashley Heath near Ringwood.
The RSPCA said Desmond had a rocky start and hadn’t been treated the best but has shown remarkable resilience and is thriving with training at the centre.
Staff say he is intelligent, energetic and eager to learn, but will require an experienced owner who can continue his development.
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The RSPCA is urging the public to report any concerns and consider rehoming rescued animals as the number of cases continues to rise.
Hampshire has also seen an increase, with 133 reports recorded over the summer months last year, up slightly from 129 the previous year. The figures place the county ninth in the national rankings for cruelty reports.
The charity has released the statistics alongside a warning that demand on its frontline teams is reaching critical levels.
RSPCA superintendent Jo Hirst said: "It’s incredibly alarming that we are seeing such rising reports of cruelty.
"The summer months are our busiest time of year, and our frontline rescue teams, specialist vets, behaviourists, rehabilitation and rehoming teams will be working tirelessly to help as many animals as possible.
"In response to this crisis, we have launched our 'Cruelty Hurts, Love Rescues' campaign to highlight this shocking trend and the work we are doing to save so many animals from horrific abuse and suffering."
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