North animal cruelty highlighted

This collie was found starving - with unopened food in the cupboards

The case of two starving dogs forced to eat their sibling is among those reported in an annual review of cruelty cases in the north-east of England.

The RSPCA has published its statistics for 2005, which show a nationwide increase in convictions secured and cases reported and investigated.

In the area stretching from Berwick, in Northumberland to Co Durham, 61 people were convicted, up from 56 in 2004.

In Teesside, those convicted dropped slightly from 43 to 41.

In the North area, which includes the North East as well as Yorkshire, Merseyside, Lancashire and Cumbria, a total of 34,171 complaints were investigated.

There were 679 convictions for cruelty secured, of which 398 were in Yorkshire and the North East.

The dog's owner was banned from keeping animals for life

For the Newcastle area, which includes Tyneside, Wearside, Northumberland and County Durham, there were 63 cases reported, down from 76 in 2004 and the convictions secured were 97 slightly down from 101.

In Teesside, 60 cases were reported up from 47 in 2004. There were 58 convictions secured down from 93 in 2004.

RSCPA chief inspector for the North East Michelle Charlton said the overview for the region was "disappointing" because of the number of cases that reached the conviction stage.

She urged people to think before getting an animal and how much it is going to cost.

Dog remains

Among the cases the charity dealt with were two malnourished collie cross-breed dogs found in a back yard in Hartlepool even though there were unopened cans of dog food sitting in the cupboards.

Their female owner was banned from keeping animals for 15 years and was fined and given a 12-month rehabilitation order.

In May 2005, inspectors found the half-eaten remains of a female Staffordshire bull terrier at a house in Blackhall Colliery, County Durham. She had been eaten by two other dogs who were found emaciated.

Their owner pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the dogs and was jailed for eight weeks and banned form keeping animals for life.