Horrific cases of pet owners killing animals in attacks have doubled in the past year, according to investigators.
Dogs, cats, rabbits and tortoises have been abandoned in what the RSPCA says has been one of the worst years for neglect and cruelty in the county.
The leading RSPCA inspector for Nottinghamshire revealed that the number of people prosecuted for beating and stabbing their pets rose from six last year to 12 in 2014 – and this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Chief Inspector Simon Parker says reports of dogs and cats being killed or left to die are received daily.
Five dead horses were dumped in Rempstone Road, East Leake, last Tuesday. Residents were shocked at the grim discovery and the RSPCA is investigating.
Mr Parker said some pets are harmed accidentally or deliberately during domestic rows when people take their frustrations out on their animals.
Last year, a man was sentenced for strangling his pet cat during a row with his wife. "I consider 2014 as the worst year in the area in the 15 years I have dealt with animal cruelty," said Mr Parker. "It has been the worst I have seen for animals being beaten to death and deliberately stabbed."
The RSPCA is inundated with work and has a backlog of 180 incidents.
The Post reported this year that Jake, a collie-cross, was found dead in Hannah Bamford's house in Welton Gardens, Bulwell, after he was left for weeks without food or water.
Neighbours called police when they noticed flies swarming at the windows.
A vet said he would have suffered greatly. Bamford was prosecuted for causing unnecessary suffering. The 25-year-old, of County Road, Gedling, was sent to prison for 28 days, and banned from keeping an animal for 10 years.
Mr Parker said the problem did not just involve dogs being abandoned – cats, tortoises and rabbits have also been left homeless. "I consider rabbits as the forgotten pets," he said. "We often go to a rabbit in a garden and it is dead – due to lack of food, bedding, care and understanding.
"Sometimes a rabbit is bought to keep a child happy but the child can soon become bored with it, particularly daily feeding and cleaning.
"This year we found a rabbit in a hutch with a badly broken leg.
"The owner was fully aware of it, had no money and chose to leave it.
"We investigated and decided to amputate the leg and the rabbit was re-homed. The owner showed remorse and understanding and received a formal caution."
Tony Sanderson, of Babbington Hall Kennels, Awsworth, agrees that animal cruelty is on the increase.
"It does turn your stomach hearing about this," he said. "There just seems to a strain of people that do not seem to care about anything. They give pet owners a bad name."
Anthony Moore, of White Post Farm, Farnsfield, said earlier this year someone dumped a rabbit in a box in the car park when temperatures plummeted to freezing. It was cared for and re-homed with a member of staff.
Mr Moore said: "Our local kennels have started a rescue project due to the increase in strays in the area."
WITH his fellow sheep Buddy and Lettuce, Nelson has become something of a celebrity in his paddock at Hawthorne Farm, near Gotham. And, as his namesake suggests, he is a true fighter – he was named after Horatio Nelson, the greatest naval hero in British history. Nelson the sheep, was just three weeks old when he was attacked in the darkness at the farm and had his ears cut off, sending him into shock and leading him to be abandoned by his own mother. Farmers Kenneth and Val Gunn discovered him when they checked on the flock and rushed him to a vet to save his life. Mrs Gunn said they were shocked and terrified and set to work to save him and nurture him back to health. A ewe which had suffered a stillbirth became Nelson's adoptive mum – raising him as her own until he could be weaned. A white cotton bonnet was made to protect his wounds as they healed. Looking back on what was a traumatic time, Mrs Gunn said: "I thought Nelson was a fighter and he was a fighter. He wouldn't have lived if he wouldn't have had that fighting spirit. "People sent him Christmas cards and money. He got about £15 and I spent it on biscuits and chocolate for him. "People wrote to me to say how horrified they were. Afterwards, Nelson was traumatised. He had lost his confidence." No sign of his ears could be found where he was attacked and no culprit was caught. He has been left partially deaf – but otherwise he seems to be putting his ordeal behind him at 18 months old. "He's absolutely amazing," said Mrs Gunn. "He is fantastic. He's in a field near the house and has a couple of friends (Lettuce and Buddy) with him. He will now be a lifetime pet. "He's in a paddock opposite the farm shop. There's a story about him on the door and the customers go and speak to him. He's quite a people animal." RSPCA inspector Susan Hammond was called to attend the incident. She had said that the lamb's ears had been cut off cleanly, close to his head. As he had no other injuries, it was not believed that a dog could be responsible. "This is absolutely horrific and I cannot believe that someone would deliberately cause such an awful injury to an innocent animal," said Ms Hammond at the time. "Sadly as a result of the injury the mother abandoned the lamb." In another heartbreaking case for animal lovers, RSPCA inspectors brought to justice single mum Hannah Bamford, who left her family dog of 14 years alone and without food or water. Nottingham Magistrates' Court heard how Jake, a collie-cross, was found dead in Bamford's council house in Welton Gardens, Bulwell, after he was left for weeks. Neighbours called police when they noticed flies swarming at the windows of the end-terrace house. Jake was found dead near a toilet, where the seat was down, giving him no access to water. A vet said he would have suffered greatly, both physically from dehydration and starvation, and mentally, as his drive to find water increased. Bamford was prosecuted for causing unnecessary suffering to Jake, by not meeting his needs for an adequate diet, nutrition, daily care and supervision between June 28 and August 24 last year. In February JPs sent her to prison for 28 days, and banned her from keeping an animal for 10 years. They said the offence was so serious custody was the only option, the neglect and agony was prolonged and Jake had suffered greatly. Prosecutor Andy Cash told them a vet said Jake had been dead for two to three weeks. Bamford, 25, of County Road, Gedling, had moved out of the house to live with her mum due to debts. She left Jake behind, because her mum had a cat and the two did not get on, the court had heard. Bamford returned to her old home to feed Jake, who she had owned since a pup, and let him out and played with him. Robert Keeble, mitigating, said during the hearing that the tragedy after that was that his client did not go back to check on Jake one day. "One day led to two days. Three days led to a week and, thereafter, she became scared and frightened of what she would find. "She told her mum she was still going back. The situation snowballed out of control... where she passed the point of no return. "She knows her wrongdoing and has to live with it for the rest of her life." Bamford had debts of more than £7,500. She was working part-time and suffering from depression. "The whole world was caving in around her and she moved in with her mum," Mr Keeble had explained. A probation officer told the court Bamford had never thought of taking Jake to the PDSA Vet Care services, which helps pet owners on benefit.
