These views are not from this site, but originally appeared on slaterheelis.co.uk.
Animal abuse, no matter who you are, is not allowed. Rachel Fletcher, the Head of Crime and Regulatory comments on a recent video footage of football player Kurt Zouma.
Kurt Zouma, a professional football player for West Ham United and the France national team, was captured on video kicking, slapping, and even throwing items at his pet Bengal cat. Rachel, the Head of Crime and Regulatory is pressing for more action to be taken.
“Kurt is a role model for many people who look up to him, particularly prominent youngsters, and we cannot be seen to support this sort of behavior. A new law passed by Parliament last year allows for stricter penalties against animal abusers, and I would urge the MET to reconsider its decision not to investigate. ”
“We fully support the RSPCA’s demand for a penalty that not only sends the message that this behavior is unacceptable but also seeks an order prohibiting him from having animals in the future. Private prosecutions may be launched against an individual or firm by the RSPCA or in certain situations, local authorities or law enforcement may take action against individuals who harm animals. There is clear evidence of wrongdoing in this instance.”
“It’s really tough to believe this was an isolated occurrence, not only because the video shows the huge amount of torture and abuse that he and his brother subjected the cat to, but also because it shows them laughing and hunting down the cat to attack it again.”
Penalties for animal abuse offences
Here, we have clear instances of someone deliberately harming or abusing an animal. The penalties for animal cruelty, as well as failing to provide for the animal’s welfare, include being banned from owning animals for life, paying a fine of up to £20,000, or serving six months in jail in certain situations.
Further information regarding the law on animal welfare
Section 4 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 states: A person who causes an animal to suffer, or fails to act when he should do so, is guilty of an offense if –
(a) His conduct results in the animal’s suffering.
(b) He was aware or had reason to be aware that the consequence would be that effect.
(1) A person who is responsible for an animal is guilty of an offence if—
(a) He allows another person’s actions to cause the animal pain.
(b) He fails to take reasonable measures to prevent that from happening, and as a result, the animal suffers.
The Animal Welfare Act 2006 is the legislation that covers this violation, which specifies “Five Welfare Needs’ for domestic pets and livestock. These are:
- The requirement for a suitable living environment.
- A healthy diet is required.
- It is vital to be able to exhibit typical behavior patterns.
- If an animal is sick or hurt, it must be kept away from other animals.
- The desire to be shielded from pain, suffering, harm, and sickness.
