North East leads the way with Animal Cruelty Bill

Redcar and Cleveland's MP is calling for 5 year jail sentences for animal abusers.

Anna Turley is bringing up her new bill in parliament today, after several recent animal cruelty cases across Teesside and County Durham.

At the moment, many perpetrators avoid prison altogether, getting away with fines or electronic tagging.

Just last week we told you about the Bishop Auckland man who’s been banned from keeping animals after hitting his partner’s dog with a hammer.

Anna thinks we need to show the consequences for this sort of action are serious;“

For a nation that considers ourselves animal lovers, we’re really lagging behind the rest of the world on this front, with just the 6 months maximum sentence”

Kay Sanderson is from Westway vets; she reveals some of the cases they deal with are heart-breaking;

We have had animals who’ve been kicked, or maybe a jaw broken or aleg broken.We’ve had the odd animal that’s been stabbed and then you have thecases where animals are shot with pellets, we get that where they’re eithershot in the spine or the eye and that’s horrendous to have to deal with.”

Our reporter visited North Yorkshire’s Blue Cross centre, where she met Poppy (pictured) who is up for adoption.

The centre staff look after many animals who’ve been abandoned or neglected.

Their education officer, Helen Spicer, explains people often forget their animals have rights too;

“Part of the problem is possibly because, by law, pets are seen asproperty, somebody owns a pet.

“So you do sometimes wonder if people think they can do what theylike with their pets, whereas they do, by law, have plenty of protection.”

Anna’s campaign has been backed by several national charities as well – including the RSPCA and Battersea Cats and Dogs’ home.

You can read more about the campaign and petitions via Anna Turley’s website. http://www.anna4redcar.org.uk/animal_cruelty

And there’s more information on protecting animals from the Blue Cross at

https://www.bluecross.org.uk/