IT MAY be that the shocking rise in animal cruelty cases reported today by the RSPCA in the North West is down to people being more willing to report abuse rather than an actual rise in neglect.

Nevertheless, it remains appalling that cruelty is so rife that, in order to deal with the rising number of cases, RSPCA inspectors are having to cut back on their other services.

And for a nation hailed as being one of animal lovers, is this not a mark of shame?

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.