As Kent's animal lovers celebrate National Pet Day, the RSPCA has launched a pioneering new rehabilitation scheme for people convicted of animal welfare offences.

People who cause suffering to animals can now be ordered by magistrates to take part in the pilot intervention programme aimed at stopping re-offending.

Kent has become one of the first counties to trial the scheme, the first of its kind for animal welfare.

Warning - distressing images below

Two men from Dover and a woman from Snodland have been ordered to take the rehabilitation course.

David Allen, the charity's head of education, said: “The RSPCA works hard to educate the public about the needs of animals but our inspectors sadly still see far too many cases of appalling cruelty and neglect.

"We have all heard of speeding courses for those who have broken the limit to educate them.

"Similarly, this scheme aims to teach offenders that animals feel fear and pain like us, spelling out the impact of their crimes, encouraging empathy for animals and advice about how to care for them.

"It may seem strange for the RSPCA to be helping people who have neglected and abused animals, but until now there hasn’t been any opportunity to address the issues that might have led to that abuse happening. We really hope this programme will enable us to target that behaviour.”

The course aims to teach participants about the basic needs of animals, their feelings and how to be a responsible owner.

The first referral involved three cats who were abandoned at a property in Clarendon Street, Dover, where a black cat was found dead, curled up in his litter tray.

Two men from the town, aged 24, and 31, were sentenced at Canterbury Magistrates’ Court on February 13.

They had pleaded guilty to a number of offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

These included causing unnecessary suffering to the cat between May 24 and July 4 last year by failing to provide reasonable daily care and supervision leading to weight loss, poor body condition and physical deterioration.

The pair also failed to care for two other cats - a black female and a tabby and white female. They had not provided them with a suitable diet or living environment, and they failed to protect them from pain, suffering, injury or disease by not giving them daily care and supervision.

The cats were living in filthy conditions with rubbish and faeces strewn around the property. There were cat food packages which looked like they had been clawed.

The other two were skinny and suffering from an untreated skin condition. They have since been rehomed.

The men were sentenced to 18 weeks imprisonment, suspended for two years.

They were also given 20 days of rehabilitation activity requirement and eight of these will be spent undertaking the RSPCA programme.

The pair were also disqualified from owning all animals for 10 years and both ordered to pay £300 in costs, £84 in vet fees, and a £115 victim surcharge.

One of the men was also ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work.

The second case involved a West Highland terrier whose skin, eye and ear infections had been left untreated.

She ended up having to be put down on veterinary advice.

A 54-year-old woman from Snodland was sentenced at Chatham Magistrates’ Court on February 26.

She admitted a number of allegations under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 including failing to provide veterinary care for her 13-year-old dog.

The allegations spanned over the last two years in which she failed to provide adequate or effective veterinary treatment and failed to protect her from pain and suffering by not treating the dog’s skin condition, ear infection and severe and chronic eye disease.

Inspector Rosie Russon, who investigated, said: “This poor dog had chronic dry eye which had completely blinded her.

"She also had a chronic ear infection and skin condition and had been left to suffer with these ailments without proper veterinary attention for some time."

The owner was sentenced to a 12-month community order, which included 10 activity days attending the RSPCA pilot programme, as well as 80 hours of unpaid work.

She was also disqualified from keeping all animals for two years, as well as to pay costs of £300, an £85 victim surcharge, and £216 central funds.