The festive season sees a rise in animal abuse, as pets are often abandoned or injured/put to sleep to save costs during Christmas. It has only been four days since Christmas 2015, and already Battersea Shelter has received 20 animals who were 'unwanted Christmas gifts'. This number is already growing throughout the UK, and many animals who have been bought as gifts will also be neglected and abused with little justice. Stronger punishments for animal neglect would deter the buying and selling of animals to unsuitable owners, and severe consequences would install a stronger sense of respect for animals and life as a whole within society. 

It is now so easy to illegally acquire animals over the internet, and there is very few checks on where animals are rehoused when they are sold over sites such as Gumtree or via social media. Animal abuse is frequent and often unpunished. Lifetime bans of owning animals is simply not enough. Fines for animal abuse are intended to be as high as £20,000, yet usually result in a much lower £5,000. Prison sentences are even less common and are often suspended. 

What is most concerning is the clear link between animal abuse and human abuse and assault. Psychotic tendencies in humans are often first noticed in the torturing and killing of pets and animals, and laws involving the treatment of animals should be tightened. 
"anyone who has once accustomed to the life of any living being as unworthy of life, there is a risk that one day he also comes to the conclusion that human life is worthless, "wrote humanitarian Albert Schweitzer.

I am starting this petition to bring to light the lack of morality surrounding animal abuse punishments, and to ask our Government to address this issue which affects our society on so many levels. 

The work organisations like the RSPCA and Battersea does is essential, but it is up to the Government to address the problem before the strain on these organisations truly takes its toll.