‘When two brothers who filmed themselves torturing a dog were spared jail it provoked an outcry. Yet England and Wales has the lightest maximum sentence in Europe for animal cruelty offences. Now an MP is hoping to make the law tougher on perpetrators.’
BBC News, 24th February 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Animal cruelty should carry a five year maximum jail sentence, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home says as it complains you get longer for fly-tipping.’
Daily Telegraph, 20th February 2016
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘Ministers have put the RSPCA on “probation” for the next two years over its controversial prosecutions policy.’
Daily Telegraph, 12th February 2017
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘The RSPCA will be allowed to continue animal cruelty prosecutions, a report published today has revealed, as MPs’ calls for the charity to be stripped of its powers have been ignored by the Government.’
Daily Telegraph, 7th February 2017
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘A man who swallowed a live goldfish in a drinking dare has been given a suspended prison sentence.’
BBC News, 3rd February 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Motorists convicted of speeding will face higher fines related to their income while people who fail to pay their TV licences could avoid financial penalties in future, under new sentencing guidelines introduced for magistrates.’
The Guardian, 24th January 2017
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘A teenager who stole cats from an animal sanctuary to use as “live bait” for his dogs has been sent to a young offenders institute for 30 months.’
BBC News, 23rd January 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘A woman has been banned from keeping horses after Facebook users spotted pictures of her riding a skeletal ex-racehorse online.’
Daily Telegraph, 8th December 2016
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘The RSPCA is “targeting vulnerable, ill and elderly” people and removing their pets, and should be stripped of its powers to prosecute cases of animal cruelty, an MPs report has found.’
Daily Telegraph, 16th November 2016
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘A cross-party committee of MPs is expected to call for the RSPCA to stop implementing private prosecutions for animal cruelty and instead hand evidence over to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).’
The Guardian, 13th November 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘A Labour MP is pressing the government to increase the penalties for animal cruelty offences, noting that research shows people who harm animals are more likely to go on to commit crimes such as domestic abuse.’
The Guardian, 8th November 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘There were more than 4,000 severe breaches of animal welfare regulations over the past two years at British slaughterhouses, according to data released by the government’s food watchdog under freedom of information laws.’
The Guardian, 28th August 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘A woman who decapitated two pet snakes with a pair of scissors and tried to swallow their severed heads while drunk has escaped a prison term.’
Daily Telegraph, 19th August 2016
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘The new head of the RSPCA has pledged to continue passing information about illegal fox-hunting and farm cruelty to the police but said that in the past the charity had struck the wrong tone when championing animal rights.’
The Guardian, 16th May 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘The government has abandoned a controversial plan to repeal animal welfare codes.’
BBC News, 7th April 2016
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Shocking footage has been released showing two brothers abusing their pet dog and a petition has been launched after they walked free from court on a suspended sentence.’
Daily Telegraph, 31st March 2016
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘Conservative ministers are planning to repeal an array of official guidance on animal welfare standards, starting with a move to put the code on chicken-farming into the hands of the poultry industry.’
The Guardian, 25th March 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘A former police community support officer has been jailed for 11 years and four months after admitting raping a child and a bestiality offence.’
The Guardian, 21st March 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘George Bush from Erith is given a suspended prison sentence after admitting selling monkey heads on eBay and also possessing animal porn.’
Daily Telegraph, 12th January 2016
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘Changes to the animal protection charity’s prosecution policy will not mean a final end to cases brought against members of fox hunts.’
Daily Telegraph, 13th December 2015
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
© Inner Temple Library 2025