The RSPCA has revealed 544 complaints were investigated in Caerphilly County Borough in 2017, with seven people successfully prosecuted.
A spokesman for the charity said the low figure of those brought to justice represented the animal welfare charity’s policy of using prosecution as a last resort.
He said: “These incidences would have been dealt with in a variety of different ways – including educating and working with owners; issuing warning notices,and other ways.
“Indeed, warning and improvement notices are one of the most important tools at the disposal of RSPCA Cymru officers.
“Complaints investigated can have any number of outcomes including prosecution and welfare advice,but may also include those where,upon looking into them,there was not sufficient evidence to take further action,or where there was no cause for concern.”
One such successful prosecution was against Paul James, 55, of Arrael View, Abertillery, who admitted three charges under the Animal Welfare Act.
James admitted dumping a dog on Fochriw Mountain in 2016 and was given an 18-week sentence suspended for 12 months and was also banned from keeping any animals for the rest of his life.
Releasing its annual figures, the RSPCA also reported a rising number of attacks on horses in Wales with 70 calls in Caerphilly County Borough in 2017 relating to equines.
Last year Caerphilly Observer reported on cruelty claims from the Welsh Pony Rescue and Rehoming Charitable Trust against ponies on Gelligaer Common.
At least ten to 15 ponies had to be put down following injuries caused by people driving their cars at them.
One of the ponies we featured was three-month-old Suzanna which had been stabbed and beaten.
Many of the incidents dealt with by RSPCA Cymru throughout 2017 concerned horses and other equines.
Despite the efforts of the RSPCA, and other equine welfare organisations,the crisis shows no sign of easing, with the charity struggling to find stables and funding to keep the large number of horses it has had to take in.
As soon as one horse is re-homed, another is waiting to immediately fill the stable and,as a consequence, the majority of horses taken in by the RSPCA have to be cared for in private boarding stables at further cost to the charity.
The RSPCA’s national equine co-ordinator Christine McNeil said: “The cases we had in Wales of equine neglect were extremely shocking in 2017.
“We are constantly receiving calls to our cruelty line – on average 80 per day about horses alone across England and Wales – as well as messages every day on social media from very concerned and upset people asking for our help.”