Cruelty complaints jumped 7 per cent to 14,455 over 2008-09, RSPCA statistics for Victoria revealed last week.

The rise was part of a trend in which reported cruelty has risen a horrifying 48 per cent statewide over five years.

In the past 12 months, there were 415 reports in the Berwick, Narre Warren, Pakenham and Gembrook zone and 213 in an area from Cranbourne and Hampton Park to Kooweerup and coastal villages.

The RSPCA's Peninsula shelter at Pearcedale takes in most of its four-legged friends from Cranbourne and Berwick but has also accepted pets from Dandenong residents who can't or won't care for their animals.

Manager Sarah Mannock says the shelter is being called on to handle increasing cases of neglect and cruelty.

"We will always have animals here that mostly have suffered from neglect, that's probably the biggest thing that we see."

Neglect ranged from dogs and cats with painful, untreated ear and skin conditions and "quite a few" cases involving emaciation.

The shelter is also a refuge for horses whose former owners mistakenly thought could survive solely by grazing on grass in paddocks.

Dogs with "out of control" coats are another problem.

"Rather than it being a case of case of cutting out some matted fur, we have to shave the whole animal and put them in a little woollen jumper to stay warm. We go through a lot of jumpers."

Mrs Mannock mainly attributed the growing neglect and abuse to greater public awareness of RSPCA inspectors, time-crunched owners skipping dog "walkies" and tough financial times resulting in cuts to pet-related expenses, ranging from clipping to clinics.

Mrs Mannock advised owners who were struggling with their finances or pet's behaviour to contact the RSPCA for a chat. "If it's a temporary situation, options are available."

And if an owner simply couldn't cope, they could surrender their pet for a placement in the RSPCA's adoption program.

For information, visit www.rspcavic.org