Reports of animals being beaten in Powys have risen by 50 per cent over the past five years, according to new figures from the RSPCA.

The charity received 30 reports in the county during 2025, compared with 20 in 2021.

The number has fluctuated during that time, reaching a high of 39 reports in 2023 before falling to 24 in 2024.

Across Wales, the RSPCA received 840 reports of animals being beaten last year, up from 523 in 2021 – a rise of 61 per cent.

21 of Wales’ 22 local authority areas recorded an increase over the five-year period.

The figures have been released as part of the RSPCA’s Cruelty Hurts, Love Rescues campaign, which aims to raise awareness of animal abuse and encourage people to report concerns.

The charity said dogs and cats were most commonly affected, although other animals were also victims.

RSPCA superintendent Jo Hirst said the rise was “incredibly distressing”, with the charity receiving a report of an animal being beaten every 15 minutes across England and Wales.

She said footage from doorbell cameras, CCTV and mobile phones could be contributing to the increase, as incidents were more likely to be captured and reported.

“To help rescue animals from these situations we rely on the public to be our eyes and ears and report any concerns about animal abuse to us and we are grateful that so many people do and are more aware of the problem,” she said.

The charity also said summer was its busiest period for cruelty reports.

During June, July and August last year, it received 6,322 cruelty calls to its emergency line, averaging one call every 10 minutes while the line was open.

The RSPCA is urging anyone who witnesses suspected animal cruelty to report it.