RSPCA Cymru rescued 21 animals a day in Wales in 2016
Twenty one animals were rescued in Wales every day in 2016, figures from the RSPCA show.
The rescues included a kitten trapped on a wall in Pembroke Castle, a bearded dragon saved from a Monmouthshire doorstep, and a sheep rescued from barbed wire on Christmas Day. Statistics also showed around 10,500 animal cruelty complaints were made. And 7,000 warning notices were issued by RSPCA officers - an increase of 22.95% on the previous year. The charity said it had "much to celebrate across Wales in rescuing, re-homing and rehabilitating animals". The new data is included in RSPCA Cymru's annual summary which shows the scope of its work in Wales in 2016. Prosecutions increased for the first time in three years, with a total of 120 convictions. But the charity said that, while prosecution activity is important, it is a very small proportion of its core work. Claire Lawson, the RSPCA's assistant director of external relations, said: "A huge surge in the use of welfare and improvement notices outlines our successful commitment to educating and working with animal owners."