It's getting easier to prosecute owners for neglecting their animals.
There were three successful prosecutions this month under new legislation - and 11 more cases are scheduled.
Three dogs involved have since been treated and re-homed, while their owners received bans and fines.
The DSPCA's Gillian Bird says their inspectors now have the power to seize animals who are at risk:
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"In the old legislation, if you had somebody who was cruel to ten dogs, that would have just been prosecuted as a single case.
"In the new legislation, each case is dealt with differently and that makes a huge difference."
