Convictions for animal neglect and cruelty have soared in the Westcountry, according to an RSPCA report.
The charity has warned of a "major animal cruelty crisis" as the latest figures were published today.
Animal neglect and cruelty convictions were almost 25% higher across the South West in 2012 than in the previous year, the charity said.
Staff, volunteers and branches were said to be "struggling to keep up" in their fight against what they believe is a growing crisis.
The total number of cases across the region was 275 last year compared to 209 in 2011, including some 74 in Devon and 29 in Cornwall in 2012.
A Devon couple were banned for life from keeping animals after allowing their dogs to starve. The six-year-old male dog and eight-year-old female were found emaciated and covered in hundreds of fleas.
RSPCA inspector Sarah Morris described the dogs' treatment as "horrific" and the worst dog cruelty case she had seen in 12 years.
Four Springer Spaniels were found living in squalid conditions and suffering from a multitude of conditions, in Cornwall. A man and his daughter were prosecuted by Truro Magistrates for failing to provide adequate veterinary treatment for tumours, skin conditions, and dental problems.
The highest number of cases were in Somerset where the number of convictions shot up from 72 to 105 (31%), while Dorset also saw a large rise from 43 to 67 (36%).
A Somerset mother-of-three was banned from having pets for five years after leaving her puppy tethered to a door handle. Her six-month-old Staffordshire bull terrier-type dog had been left tied on a short lead for 24 hours with no food or water in reach.
RSPCA chief executive Gavin Grant called on judges to take these offences "far more seriously".
"For us, prosecution is always the last resort. However if there is evidence of a crime and serious animal abuse then we will take legal action to protect the animals and prevent further abuse. We also want to see judges taking these offences far more seriously," he said.
The RSPCA report showed the number of convictions rose by a third across England and Wales, up from 3,114 in 2011 to 4,168 last year.
The numbers of people found guilty of offences rose to 1,552 in 2012 from 1,341 a year earlier, according to the report released to mark RSPCA Week. Those convicted for their treatment of equines more than doubled from 230 to 500 in 12 months.
Another incident in the South West involved a pair of neglected monkeys who were hidden in their owner's pocket as he drove around town on a mobility scooter. Tya, a six-month-old female marmoset, and Rattler, a two-year-old male, were found running loose in their owner's living room with no access to food or water.
RSPCA inspector Rebecca Wadey said: "Tya was crouched inside a dirty tube set up beneath the curtain rail while Rattler was balanced precariously on top of it. There was so little room for both of them that at one point Rattler knocked Tya off the perch – she had quite a fall to the hard floor. It is hard to understand how anyone could think this was an acceptable way to keep an animal."
The charity revealed that a dog slashed with a knife and two tiny puppies who had been buried alive were among the "shocking catalogue of deliberate cruelty and neglect".
Staff also found more than 30 rabbits and guinea pigs living among dead animals in slurry-filled hutches and an emaciated pony pinned to the ground by his tether.
