New figures show the RSPCA sees a spike in cruelty during the summer months as the charity is braced for a summer of suffering in Essex.

The RSPCA receives around 90,000 calls to its cruelty line every month and investigates 6,000 reports of deliberate animal cruelty, including animal fighting and hunting.

But in the summer calls rise to 134,000 a month - three every minute and reports of cruelty soar to 7,600 each month - a heartbreaking 245 every day.

In Essex, there were 292 reports of intentional harm against animals made to the RSPCA last year placing the county among the ten most cruel counties.

The charity has launched its Cancel Out Cruelty campaign today, to raise funds to help its rescue teams out on the frontline continue to save animals in need of help and to raise awareness about how to stop cruelty to animals for good.

Read more >>> 'Impertinent little twerp': Piers Morgan's put down to Southend MP in on-air row

A tear jerking video released today follows the story of Inspector Lauren Bailey who rescued Buddy, a mastiff-cross who suffered second degree burns from boiling hot water and was left in pain for 10 days.

As part of its campaign, RSPCA has also shared Cassie's story.

Cassie had been found abandoned in a street in Basildon in February, but was fortunately saved and taken into the care of the RSPCA Essex South, Southend and District Branch.

Just hours after she arrived at her foster carers she gave birth to eight pups, but two sadly didn’t make it.

Cassie was still suffering and the puppies were dropping weight as they struggled to feed from her.

The RSPCA team started to top up bottle feeds to help the puppies.

The only option the team had to help Cassie and to save her puppies was to remove the pups from Cassie and hand rear them.

This meant they could get their nutrients and Cassie could begin the steroid treatment and start her own recovery.

Kathy Butler, branch manager, said: “We are delighted to say that Cassie ended up finding her forever home with her wonderful foster carer Maddie Greest.

“Cassie has a lovely little life now, she goes to work with Maddie at the vets where she is thoroughly spoiled by staff and she has a fabulous relationship with Maddie.

“Cassie's health and skin is so much improved with appropriate vet attention and nutrition, she looks great, and almost unrecognisable from when she arrived. 

“Maddie's son and family also adopted one of Cassie's puppies, and all the other pups that went to Danaher to be hand reared by Sam with the help of her lovely Daschund dog Bear, all went to fabulous new homes - it’s such a lovely happy ending.”

To help support the RSPCA and its new campaign visit rspca.org.uk/stopcruelty.