Parliament Workbench

Petition · PE01544 · Session 4

Increasing the maximum sentence for convictions under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006

Closed Submitted 11 Sep 2014 Rural Affairs
Signatures
920
582 online signatures with a country
Comments
28
Considered
2 meetings
in the Official Report

What it asks

Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to increase the maximum sentence for those convicted under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006.

What the petitioner did first

I contacted the MSPs for Dundee West. I had a written reply from Alison McInnes who then went on to write to the Scottish Government asking if it had any plans to review the legislation. In response to Alison McInnes' letter, the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and the Environment, Richard Lochhead, wrote to say that the Scottish Government takes the issue of animal cruelty very seriously, and the sentence is proportionate to the crime committed and that the courts must remain to have the discretion on sentencing.
I agree that it is important for the courts to have the discretion on sentencing as not all cases are identical and there are always other factors to consider, but to say that the sentencing is proportionate is something I (and everyone I have spoken to) do not agree with in the slightest. It was disheartening to learn that someone in power feels that way. The point of the sentence should act as a deterrent to the crime and, at the moment, a one year imprisonment is not an effective enough deterrent, which is why there are so many cases of animal abuse and why it needs to be increased. I have spoken to many people about this and have not found one person who disagrees that the sentence should be increased. This is why I strongly feel that this petition is needed in order to convey how the public feels on the matter and build public pressure.
I contacted MSPs who were members of the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee, the Public Petitions Committee, and the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee. Many responded and conveyed their sympathies on the matter, and advised me that due to Parliamentary rules, they were unable to discuss the matter with me. Others advised me to start a petition on the Scottish Parliament website.
Whilst I have been waiting for this petition to be approved, I have gained 920 signatures for my petition on change.org:
https://www.change.org/p/scottish-government-increase-the-maximum-sentence-for-animal-abuse

Where it was considered

Official Report
  1. 17 Feb 2015
    Public Petitions Committee
    New Petitions
    1 mention
  2. 28 Apr 2015
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    1 mention

Signatures by country

582 online signatures
  1. Scotland370 63.6%
  2. United Kingdom84 14.4%
  3. France38 6.5%
  4. England25 4.3%
  5. United States18 3.1%
  6. Australia15 2.6%
  7. Canada5 0.9%
  8. Belgium5 0.9%
  9. New Zealand3 0.5%
  10. Wales3 0.5%
  11. 11 other countries16 2.7%

Comments

28 comments, oldest first
  1. Jody Petrie 12 Nov 2014
    I hope this works
  2. julie connelly 12 Nov 2014
    Animals lives are just as valuable as human
  3. Catherine Geoghegan 12 Nov 2014
    Animals are God's creatures as we humans are and should have respect and no-one has the right to harm them and should punished accordingly.
  4. Annette Haigh 13 Nov 2014
    It's time Animal cruelty was recognised for what it is
    - obscene and a sign of fractured morality. Like children animals have no voice so we must speak for them and protect their right to dignity and life!
  5. Irene morley 14 Nov 2014
    Stop animals being abused now
  6. Mandy thomson 14 Nov 2014
    The animal cruelty laws in this country are well overdue an overhaul .....a human who is capable of cruelty to a helpless animal has no place in society and should feel the full force of he law come down on them ! if such acts are ignored then society as a whole is a worse place for everyone ...ZERO tolerance . I also totally agree that animal abusers are without a doubt emotionally and morally disturbed individuals who are also more than capable of perpetrating crimes against other weaker humans both adult and child. Crimes such as this need to be thoroughly investigated and maximum sentences applied including psychiatric interventions. There is NO place in a CIVILIZED society for any crimes of cruelty toward animals !
  7. Aileen Lowdon 17 Nov 2014
    I believe in change, if it makes a difference. I will be sharing this with my family and friends! I cannot abide animal welfare being low down on peoples' priority lists! There has to be a stronger deterrent in the law & tougher sentencing for people who abuse animals! Already, another Chipperfield is under the spotlight, up in Aberdeenshire, for allegedly abusing wild animals. Tougher fines & prison sentences are needed. Best wishes Olivia x
  8. Helen Ellerby 21 Nov 2014
    We need to punish animal abuser's to the full extent possible. We need severe punishment.
  9. Jayme Thomson 25 Nov 2014
    The Scottish Parliament please step up and do the right and humane thing here. Only good will come of it. Show the World the Scottish people have zero tolerance on animal abuse. It's been proven that those who commit animal abuse are most likely to commit crimes on vulnerable people such as children, disabled and elderly. These cowards deserve the highest punishment possible. Set the precedent for now and the generations to come by making a safer and respected Scotland for everyone.
  10. Kimberley Drumgold 25 Nov 2014
    Animals are innocent. We need to help them and be their voice. Its time to make a change!
  11. Moira Thorburn 25 Nov 2014
    Animal cruelty has to stamped out. Tougher sentences required.
  12. nadia khan 25 Nov 2014
    Tougher laws and sentences are needed and should be carried out in the courts
  13. Debbie Berry 25 Nov 2014
    This petition is so important. Vicious people treating animals badly is a disgrace and a strong punishment is necessary to deter these people from doing it in the first place
  14. deborah kilmartin 25 Nov 2014
    Anmail have bloodin there viens and feel pain. If there can dose that anmail what next a child
  15. Pat Mallon 25 Nov 2014
    Animal cruelty needs to be stopped NOW.Catch and jail these low life's who think it is alright to hurt poor,defenceless animals and through away the key.It makes my blood boil because all our animals look for in life is to be loved and taken care of not to suffer at the hands of these morons.Please save our lovely animals NOW
  16. anne coleman 25 Nov 2014
    not before time!
  17. Kate haggerty 25 Nov 2014
    Animals don't have a voice! We are their voice! Unfortunately as we cannot do same to the human that has harmed the animal then they need to be put away for a longer time than is currently handed out!
  18. Carolyn Hastie 26 Nov 2014
    Animals are Gods creatures just like ourselves,they do not have a voice when someone abuses them we therefore need sufficient laws to stop these barbaric acts from happening,pretty much the worst punishment at the moment is the lowlife who do commit these acts are banned from keeping animals,or they get community service which is doubtful if they will even attend.we really need to get the message across that any animal cruelty will nt be tolerated in any community.
  19. angela brown 28 Nov 2014
    What ever they do to animals should be done to them
  20. Emma Coenen 28 Nov 2014
    Why should animal abuse not be treated the same as any other abuse?!
  21. Sarah Robb 28 Nov 2014
    Animal need us to speak up for them. Tendered their rights. And to seek justice on their behalf.
  22. Wendy Addison 30 Nov 2014
    1. Educate children. 2. Depending on severity of offence 5 years in jail. 3. Not emotional disturbance, a deeper malaise than that. Psychotic maybe.
  23. Siobhan McDonald 8 Dec 2014
    This is a must, disgraceful what some people get away with
  24. Ross Linardi 8 Dec 2014
    Just because animals can't talk doesn't give anyone the right to treat with any kind of cruelty.
  25. Robert Fraser 9 Dec 2014
    I Concur!
  26. brian murphy 17 Dec 2014
    Increase the penalty for animal abuse
  27. Iain Morrison 17 Dec 2014
    The punishment for disgraceful acts like this must be increased to fit the crime. 3 or 4 years for malicious acts of cruelty.
  28. holly bennett 18 Dec 2014
    I concur