I decided to start this petition after hearing about a recent case of animal cruelty in my hometown, Edmonton, which left me horrified, sickened and angry. Two 18-year-olds and a 14-year-old have been arrested and charged after a cat was found BUTCHERED in southeast Edmonton on February 13, 2014.

The laws regarding animal cruelty under the Criminal Code (R.S., 1985, c. C-46, s. 445; 2008, c. 12, s. 1.) are dangerously lax. Until the laws are strengthened, violent cases like the one involving Zachary Allen McKinnon and Wendell Mack Mah (http://globalnews.ca/news/1163034/three-teens-charged-with-animal-cruelty-after-cat-killed/) will continue. The individuals involved will continue to evade justice because the victim is "just an animal."

We, the people, believe (alleged) psychopaths like Zachary Allen McKinnon and Wendell Mack Mah deserve jail time and should receive some form of rehabilitation to prevent future offenses against animals--and potentially human beings (http://aldf.org/resources/when-your-companion-animal-has-been-harmed/no-boundaries-for-abusers-the-link-between-cruelty-to-animals-and-violence-toward-humans/). We are calling on the Government of Canada to strengthen the laws regarding animal cruelty under the Criminal Code in order to prevent future tragedies and to set a precedent that WE WILL NOT TOLERATE ANIMAL CRUELTY!