REVEALED: Shocking toll of animal cruelty across the Black Country and Staffordshire

But a shocking investigation by the Express & Star will put that boast to the test as we expose appalling levels of cruelty and neglect taking place across the Black Country and Staffordshire.

In a series of articles this week we look at how animals are abused in our neighbourhoods, our communities and countryside.

One of the most shocking incidents was the case of the dog found hanging by a length of chain near a primary school in Dudley.

A horrified passer-by came across the gruesome corpse of the poor Staffy mastiff dog hanging from railings near Kates Hill Primary School in June.

The dog, estimated to be between one and two years old, had been tied to the railing 15ft above street level in Bishop Close.The matter was initially reported to the RSPCA just after 2am.

The dog was not microchipped and it is not known who the animal belonged to.

An appeal was launched for more information, with millionaire businessman Steve Dale offering a £5,000 reward to anyone who could help catch those responsible for the 'barbaric' killing.

Sadly, the RSPCA is still investigating the killing, in conjunction with West Midlands police, to try and find the brute responsible.

Just days after this incident, a 32-year-old Wolverhampton man was sent to prison for three months and disqualified for keeping animals for 10 years for causing a dog untold suffering. Adam Shiel appeared before Birmingham Magistrates Court on July 4 for sentencing after he was found guilty in his absence at a trial of causing unnecessary suffering to a dog, Misty.

The RSPCA was called after the Staffordshire bull terrier cross was found on the brink of death at a property in Lime Street.

Rushed straight to a vet for emergency treatment, Misty weighed just 8.7kg.

Speaking after the case, RSPCA inspector Julie Lyons said: "We think that Misty could have been left to fend for herself for up two weeks, and when we found her she was barely alive. She was one of the thinnest dogs I'd ever seen that was still alive. Animals are the silent victims and cannot speak for themselves, I think the sentence reflects the severity of the offence and I hope this sends out a clear message that people cannot just disregard their animals and move on."

Misty, whose weight was brought up to 17.2kg, was rehomed by the RSPCA.

Making distressing headlines in February was 33-year-old Muneer Ahmed, of Priory Close, Smethwick, who was locked up for 22 weeks for beating his pitbull to death with a brick because it was 'annoying him'

Ahmed told the RSPCA that the dog had been struck by a car three days before. He decided to put it down himself because 'it was annoying him' and he knew vets would not help as it was a banned pitbull breed.

As well as the jail sentence he was banned from owning, keeping, transporting or looking after dogs for life after admitting causing unnecessary suffering to the dog.

One of the most disturbing cases in this area in recent times was that of a West Bromwich couple who were running an illegal pet shop.

Neil and Debbie Harper, aged 46 and 30, respectively, were given lifetime bans from keeping animals for after each pleaded guilty to 14 charges of animal cruelty two years ago. They also admitted one charge of running an illegal pet shop. The pair, of Marnham Road, had kept the puppies in cages without heating or water next to their TV, while attempting to sell them to the public from their home.

They were hauled before the courts after an extensive investigation into the commercial selling of puppies who were dealt with in a 'brutal' way.

Just last month lifetime disqualifications on owning horses were given to a Shropshire couple. Edwin and Sylvia Pope, of Wistanswick, pleaded guilty to five charges each under the Animal Welfare Act at Shrewsbury Magistrates Court.

Edwin admitted two counts of causing unnecessary suffering by leaving laminitis – a disease that affects hooved animals – on four out of five horses untreated.

Sylvia pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering through another person in failing to treat the laminitis and her, being the owner, allowing this to happen.

Both also pleaded guilty to three counts including failing to provide routine farriery attention and hoof trimming to all the horses, failing to limit the horses' food leading to their obesity, and failing to adequately inspect them on a daily basis.

Edwin was also given a community order of 60 hours unpaid work and Sylvia was given a curfew order from 7pm to 7am. Both were ordered to pay £500 each plus a £60 victim surcharge.

They are among a host of cases pursued by the RSPCA and the courts but it is an uphill struggle. Last year it was revealed there were more than 150 convictions for animal neglect and cruelty reported in the West Midlands and Staffordshire in a year.

This was up on the previous year and across England and Wales, the number of criminal cases rose by a third.

An E&S reporter spent time with the RSPCA to find out what life is like on the frontline of animal protection, helping respond to 150,000 complaints each year.

On average, someone in England and Wales calls the RSPCA's 24-hour cruelty line for help every 30 seconds. Last year they received 1,327,849 phone calls, and inspectors in the West Midlands investigated almost 6,500 incidents.

Each day this week we look at the organisations tackling the wealth of cruelty against animals from cats and birds being shot at and poisoned to the scores of homeless and abandoned pets.

We investigate the dark underworld of dog fighting, in which pets are trained up by thuggish owners to battle, sometime to the death of the sick pleasure of a baying audience.

We will look at the problem of stray horses, a common sight on the streets of some parts of the Black Country, currently being rounded up by councils over fears for their welfare.

And we look at the threats to wildlife in the countryside from badger baiting and bird egg thieves to the scourge of poachers on Cannock Chase.

Reporter Kimberley Clayton-Brown joined an RSPCA inspector in the Black Country to see how the charity deals with its increasing workload.

So far this year more than 1,500 animals have been found abandoned in the West Midlands, an 'alarming' increase which makes the region the fourth-worst in the country.

Nationally, about 300 RSPCA inspectors spend their days visiting homes and properties in England and Wales, following up complaints, checking in on pet owners they have been working with, and collecting animals that have been abandoned or can no longer stay with their owners.

Vicki Taylor has been working for the charity as an inspector for 11 years. Originally from Wolverhampton, she worked in various regions before moving back to her home town a couple of years ago.

At the beginning of each shift she checks to see which jobs have been loaded in to the system for her to attend – some are ongoing cases and follow-ups, others are new complaints to look into. There can be 10 jobs already lined up for an inspector to look into when their shift starts, with another 10 emergencies or new complaints being logged over the next several hours, as well as animal collections and rescues.

Vicki said: "One of the problems we do have is we process a lot of jobs.

"We have 300 officers nationwide for everything, and for emergencies we get there as fast as we can, but with the amount of jobs we get in we always have a backlog."

A lot of the calls are about abandoned animals: cats left inside – or outside – houses, rabbits in hutches, dogs tied up and left in backyards.

A large part of Vicki's day-to-day duties are providing advice to animal owners, helping out with micro-chipping and neutering/spaying, and preventing problems that could lead to the animals suffering or being abandoned.

Our day starts with a visit to a home where the PCO – person complained of – has allegedly left a cat and kittens locked inside her house for days. There is no response to Vicki's knocks on the door, so we head around to the back of the house. Through the kitchen window we see a cat, looking in good health, but no kittens.

With cases like this inspectors will leave a contact card, as well as putting clear tape on locks and doors so when they return the next day for a follow-up visit they can tell if someone has entered the house.

The RSPCA will ensure the animal has something to eat and drink, putting bits of pet food and ice cubes through mailbox slots, under doors, or through open windows – anywhere the animal will be able to get to it.

In order for this to happen the RSPCA has to be able to prove the animal has been abandoned, which can take a few days in some cases.

When Vicki returns the following day, the 'seals' on the doors had been broken. She visits the house to meet with the owner and finds three adult cats in good condition, but the kitten was very small. Vicki gives the owner some advice on providing an environment that is safe, warm and comfortable so the mother cat can feed and clean the kitten properly.

If there are any problems with the kitten, the owner has been advised to take it to the vet. As well as the advice, Miss Taylor gave the owner three vouchers to have the adult cats neutered or spayed. Each voucher will take £30 off the cost, a simple step that can prevent one or two cats turning into six.

Miss Taylor adds: "The RSPCA does appreciate that times are difficult but if pet owners need help with neutering then there is help there. "

Often, the animal issues are just the tip of the iceberg in the home, there are bigger issues going on in the background and sometimes it is a social worker who has called the RSPCA with concerns. Likewise, if an RSPCA inspector is worried about what they see in a home they will call social services or the police.

Vicki is called to one house where the PCO has allegedly been beating his dog. We are invited into the house and find two dogs – the PCO's Staffie and his partner's dog.

He denies beating the dog – the yelling was during a fight with his partner, he says, and the dog was very protective. He doesn't beat her either, she quickly volunteers. Vicki notices a scratch on the Staffie's head and a small scratch to his eye, consistent with getting caught on the wires of his cage, as the PCO explains.

After a few tests where Miss Taylor asks the PCO to call the dog to him, ask him to sit, then pat his head, she speaks to the couple about how the dogs behave together and how to manage them.

Giving the PCO advice on replacing the dog's cage, we leave the address – with no obvious signs of abuse, there is nothing more the RSPCA can do right now.

Although RSPCA staff do work with those who have mistreated animals, and gather evidence to build cases against them, the officers have no powers themselves so work closely with police.

Last year in the West Midlands 90 people were convicted of animal welfare offences. Nationally, 3,961 convictions were secured.

Founded in a London cafe in 1824, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was the world's first animal welfare charity, and focused on working animals such as the 'pit ponies' in the coal mines