I am a pet lover

I am a pet lover, I have 3 dogs in my home in Malaysia and a hamster in Newcastle. This cute little creature I bought it from Pets At Home. Okay, back to my topic, because I am a pet lover that's why everytime I heard of any cruelty act done to any animal I feel so disgusted with how cruel a human can be. How disgrace they can be. The law should act strictly for those who acting cruelly or inhuman to any animal.

In 2007, the Animal Welfare Act, an overhaul of pet abuse laws came into force in England and Wales. The Act was first review of pet law in 94 years. It replaced the Protection of Animals Act, first passed in 1911 and designed to prevent outright cruelty to animals. The Animal Welfare Act combined more than 20 pieces of legislation into one.

The Act introduced tougher penalties for neglect and cruelty, including fines of up to 20,000 pounds, a maximum jail term of 51 weeks and a lifetime ban on some owners keeping pets. Enforcers such as the RSPCA have more powers to intervene if they suspect a pet is being neglected.

It also introduced a welfare offencefor the first time. This places a 'duty of care' on pet owners to provide for their animals' basic needs, such as adequate food and water, veterinary treatment and an appropriate enviroment in which to live. Previously the 'duty of care' had only existed for farm animals.

The Act also raised from 12 to 16 the minimum age for buying a pet, or winning one as a prize, without parental accompaniment.

It banned the docking of animals' tails for cosmetic reasons, with the exception of 'working' dogs such as those in the police and a rmed forces.

Other acts of animal mutilation are also banned by the Act, but some practices including castrating, spaying cats and dogs and ear-tagging were not made illegal.

Eventhough this is a breakthrough in the fight against animal cruelty, but Catholic Concern for Animals said the bill was a "good step but did not go far enough."

Deborah Jones, general secretary of Catholic Concern for Animals, praised the Government for placing more "emphasis on pre-emptive action" but called for other reforms. She explained:"we want outright bans. The bill doesnt include farm animals, laboratory animal welfare and animals used for horse or greyhound racing." She disagreed with government assurances that farmed animals already have a high standard of protection and di not need to be covered by the bill:"All animals should be given the utmost respect as God's creatures."

But Defra, the government department driving the bill, insists it is the most significant animal welfare legislation to come before Parliament for nearly a century.

Animal Welfare Minister Ben Bradshaw defended the Government's record. "Once this legislation is enacted, our law will be worthy of our reputation as a nation of animal lovers," he said.

"We are raising standards of animal welfare. Anyone who is responsible for an animal will have to do all that is reasonable to meet the needs of their animal."

He added: "The vast majority of pet owners and others involved with the care of animals have nothing to fear from this legislation. This Bill is aimed at those few who do not properly fulfil their responsibilities for the animals in the charge."


I hope that pet owners are really taking care of their pets with care and love and not because they are afraid of the new law and the penalties.