In Australia, those who harm animals will now face 2 years prison sentence and a $110,000 (AUD) fine as new rules will come into law this November.
The new consequences will come into force as the country cracks down on those who harm animals in their possession, via revised laws.
These laws include up to two years behind bars and a $110,000(AUD) fine, which is five times higher from $22,000. While $16,500 fines will be imposed on those who do not offer their pet an acceptable shelter and enough food, which shot up from $5,500 and a possible six months detention in prison.
Australia’s Agriculture Minister, Adam Marshall, is set to legislate the new laws as soon as next week, which will hopefully be enough of a penalty to discourage animal abusers from doing so – or at the very least, ensuring it sends the right message and impacts their life enough to prevent them from ever doing it.
“People who commit these offenses are without a doubt the worst of the worst people, they are absolute scum,” Marshall said to the Daily Telegraph Australia.point 246 |
“In some cases, these punishments are more than double that in most other states, so when these laws are passed, NSW [New South Wales] will have the toughest set of animal cruelty penalties in Australia,’ he revealed, ahead of the new sanctions.point 208 |
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Animal cruelty is a widespread issue in countries across the world, with the RSPCA receiving around 14,000 complaints yearly. However, only around 100 of those are ever prosecuted for anything in the above top tiers of punishment, meaning a large majority are able to get away with their crimes unpunished.
The idea is that increasing the consequences for harming animals will deter abusers and, if the right message is spread, see the numbers reduce each year.
The consequences for anyone found guilty of harm will now prohibit people from owning pets ever again.
“For the very first time we will be giving powers to the courts to issue an order for an individual from ever owning, caring, or even breeding an animal anywhere in NSW,” Marshall said.