Jail Time For Animal Cruelty Tripled

[KnucklesDutchnUs]

Hopefully other states will follow suit?

Jail time for animal cruelty tripled

The maximum penalty for serious animal cruelty cases will be tripled in Queensland following a spate of disgusting attacks, Premier Anna Bligh says.

The state's criminal code will be amended to create a new serious animal cruelty offence carrying a maximum seven years' jail, increasing the penalty from the current maximum of two years' imprisonment, Ms Bligh said today.

She said the move had stemmed from recent attacks on animals that had shocked the community, including the shooting of baby koala Frodo with an air rifle and Sticky the puppy, whose eyes had been glued shut.

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"So the message is clear," Ms Bligh told reporters in Toowoomba.

"People in this community care about animals and they don't want to see sickening acts of cruelty."

Attorney-General Paul Lucas said the current Animal Care and Protection Act did not deal with wildlife, pets or farm animals whose suffering was inflicted by the owner.

The new laws would plug those gaps, making it an offence to deliberately harm wildlife and strengthening laws against people who inflicted pain upon their own animals, Mr Lucas said.

Stray animals would also be protected, while livestock was already protected under similar laws, he said.

Ms Bligh said the laws were also about protecting people.

"We know, from worldwide research, that there's very good evidence to suggest that people who go on in later life to be cruel to humans - to murder, to seriously assault people - have often had a history of cruelty to animals," she said.

"So stamping this sort of practice out is a very important part of keeping the whole community safe including animals."

The laws will be introduced in Parliament by midyear and are expected to pass by the end of the year.

AAP

[lovemymutts]

Seems QLD is always in the lead as far as conservation/welfare is concerned. Such a shame, how hard is it for the other states to take some responsibility & follow QLDs lead????

[john.davey.1960]

I wonder if this will include seizing and killing harmless family pets based solely on their looks. Queensland government knows it's Kaput and will try anything to stay in power. Perhaps enforcing the current laws would be a good start!

Edited March 14, 2011 by john.davey.1960