THE RSPCA is struggling to keep up with a growing animal cruelty crisis as the number of people convicted for mistreating animals continues to rise.

There were 58 convictions for animal cruelty in Greater Manchester last year - double the number for 2011.

Nineteen-year-old Sean Deakin, of Birchfield Avenue in Atherton, was jailed for 20 weeks in June last year after he hit Staffordshire Bull Terrior Tyson 20 times with a hammer before stabbing him with a knife.

He bought the pet on free advertising website Gumtree just days before and was already up for sale on another website at the time of the attack.

Deakin, who now lives in Wakefield, was found guilty of three allegations of causing unnecessary suffering to Tyson by inflicting blunt force trauma, stabbing him and then failing to provide necessary vet care.

His 19-year-old girlfriend Sarah Tame was given a 12-month community order including 150 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay a £200 fine after pleading guilty to one allegation of causing unnecessary suffering and failing to provide veterinary care.

She was also banned from keeping any animals for 10 years and deprived of another dog she owned.

RSPCA chief executive Gavin Grant said: "The RSPCA is leading the fight against a growing animal cruelty crisis.

"Our staff, volunteers and branches show tremendous dedication but they are struggling to keep up."

A 62-year-old man from Tyldesley killed a cat after stamping on it and punching it in July last year and a 23-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man were disqualified from keeping animals for life after they caused unnecessary suffering to a rabbit and two dogs at their home in Leigh.

Mr Grant added: "For us prosecution is always the last resort however, if there is evidence of a crime and serious animal abuse we also want to see judges taking these offences far more seriously."

National RSPCA week run until Sunday and the annual fundraising and awareness drive is aiming to beat the £395,000 collected last year.

For more information visit rspcaweek.org.uk