Cruel owners must face a life ban on having animals
As the owner of a small animal sanctuary in West sussex, I’m interested in the proposed increase in penalties for animal cruelty (Mail). I took the opportunity to watch Baroness Parminter ask her question in the house of Lords requesting this increase. I found the response somewhat disheartening. Lord Gardiner said the matter is ‘under review’. Unfortunately, all the time it’s ‘under review’ the offenders are getting off too lightly. the Animal Welfare Act was reviewed in 2010/2011, but a review isn’t enough — changes need to be made. In addition to puppy farming in this country, we now have puppies being transported here from abroad with fake documents or smuggled in with no documents at all. I don’t believe community service, higher fines or three-month suspended sentences are going to be enough to stop these people. If the 2006 Animal Welfare Act was working, animal sanctuaries and rescue centres wouldn’t be struggling more than ever before with the volume of animals needing care. the judge in the case of Graham Williams, who killed his German shepherd dog, said he would have given Williams a lengthier sentence if he could have. I would like to hope that when the review that Lord Gardiner spoke about is published later this year, it will give our judges this opportunity and also the ability to ban for life all those convicted of cruelty from keeping any animal. MOIRA FOOT, Petworth, Sussex.