League comment on animal cruelty sentencing
Posted 8th July 2018
Today, in a welcome move, the Government has confirmed its commitment to increasing animal cruelty sentencing in England and Wales from six months to a maximum of five years.
This move has been welcomed by the League Against Cruel Sports - over 100,000 people have signed their petition calling for stronger penalties against dog fighting. The original maximum sentence of six months had the England and Wales ranked as one of the weakest in the world in terms of animal cruelty sentencing, but this improved legislation puts it among the top countries in the world.
Nick Weston, Head of Campaigns at the League Against Cruel Sports said: “It’s great to see England and Wales finally move away from being some of the worst countries in the world for animal cruelty sentencing, but animal cruelty such as fox and stag hunting still only results in little more than a slap on the wrist for perpetrators. If Michael Gove wants the UK to be taken seriously as an animal loving nation, then he needs to look long and hard at the way animals are exploited for sport.”