Your View: Animal cruelty
Mike Maas
Rivelin
S6
The RSPCA's quarterly journal always features two pages of court reports. I am dismayed, as always, by the leniency of the sentences for cruelty to animals. Magistrates will say 'But you don't know the details of the case', but their leniency is consistent. I think their fundamental belief is that animal-suffering is unimportant.
In the latest journal we had:Â Cats suffering in squalor: 10-year ban on keeping any animals and no prison;Â Dead and dying exotic animals in 'horrific conditions': lifelong ban on keeping any animal; 40 hours' Rehabilitation Activity Requirement; 12 weeks prison but suspended for a year, i.e. behave for a year and you escape prison;Â Newfoundland dogs left to starve: 5-year ban on dog-keeping only; 4 months prison but suspended for a year.
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Hide AdAdmittedly, magistrates work with feeble legislation: our MPs , also, disgracefully, think  animal-suffering is unimportant. It is a welcome improvement that Mr. Gove announced last year that the maximum prison-sentence was to be raised from one year to five.