An animal charity has issued a warning after a sudden increase in the number of dead or dying horses found dumped in Kent.

The RSPCA has received a spate of calls about equine issues over the past two months.

Since November 15, inspector Caroline Doe and other officers have been called to 21 horse-related incidents in the county.

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During these call-outs, they found 25 horses - 14 of which were dead on arrival, and nine of which had to be put to sleep. Only two survived and are recovering.

Inspector Doe says: "We are seeing a spate of dumped horses in the county at the moment, which is extremely shocking and distressing and needs to stop.

"These horses appear to have been transported in vans or pick-up trucks to quiet locations where they are callously dumped, some even while they are still just alive which is quite simply barbaric.

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"This is pushing our inspectors to their limits and putting a strain on resources. We are asking the public to remember that we have finite resources and must always act within the law.

"These horses have been dumped in driveways, fields, on private and public land - with complete disregard for both the animals and the public."

Since the beginning of this year, the RSPCA has already received more than 300 calls about horses in Kent alone.

Last year, there were 98 calls about dead horses - 35 of which were in November and December alone. This compares to 68 calls in 2014.

The RSPCA is working with other equine welfare charities in response to what they call "the ongoing horse crisis", to try and prevent further animals from suffering.

Inspectors believe the two main reasons are the recession - with horse prices dropping significantly - and overbreeding.

Horse owners are having difficulty rehoming their unwanted horses and, increasingly, cannot even give them away.

Horses can also be expensive to keep, and some people decide to abandon them rather than pay for veterinary treatment.

Owners struggling to care for their horses are urged to call the RSPCA or other horse welfare charities for advice and help rather than dumping them.

Anyone found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal could face a maximum six-month prison sentence and a £20,000 fine.

Anyone with welfare concerns about horses or other animals, or information about these incidents, is asked to call the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999.