I fear that cases of animal cruelty will never get the justice they deserve

Responsible animal owners have their pets neutered or spayed. There are rescue centres overflowing with wonderful animals needing love.

Thankfully, via the States vet, the terrier was signed over to the GSPCA, and mercifully made a full recovery.

For this act of animal cruelty and neglect, this individual was given a three-month custodial sentence of imprisonment, suspended for two years, and was also disqualified from owning or keeping an animal for three years.

We are supposed to be a caring community here in Guernsey, yet here again is another case of animal cruelty within our island.

What kind of justice is this that takes eight years to actually get to court, and then after admitting guilt, the perpetrator walks away to freedom and despite confessing to animal neglect and cruelty can own another animal again in three years? In my world, the court system and sentencing absolutely lets animals down.

For many years I have fought for the improvement of animal welfare, individually and belonging to animal welfare groups.

Through my animal welfare associations I have seen many horrific cases, photographic evidence where individuals should definitely have been prosecuted under the animal welfare act, but most times the cases never get to court, either the law officers don’t pursue the case or, as in this case, animal rights are not a priority and it takes eight years, and the sentence is a joke... except it isn’t funny.

Now that Animal Aid is closing, all of the onus will fall upon the GSPCA or the States vet to pursue these cases of neglect and cruelty. They are all already overworked and often at full stretch, I truly fear that cases of animal cruelty and neglect of our precious animals will never get the justice they deserve in our island.

Linda Laine

GY8 OPN