Animal cruelty happens far too often in a country full of supossed animal lovers. Whilst many charities fight to help get justice for these animals not enough is being done when such cases are taken to court! When someone is cruel to an animal or abuses them they face a fine, a ban on owning animals or a prison sentence of up to 51 weeks. This to me does not seem harsh enough. There is no deterant to stop the abuser and make them think twice about their actions. In a study it showed 1677 cases were bought before the courts and only 57 resulted in prison sentences. Banning an abuser from owning animals seems the most frequent court outcome and with animals so easily accessible this isn't preventing the cruelty. I can guarantee some of the abusers who have an animal ban on them own an animal now and the courts are none the wiser. Animals are so easily accessed, no checks are carried out to see if a person has previous or is banned from owning animals. I am sick of reading heart breaking stories and watching programmes where trusting animals are being abused and the abusers are walking away with a suspended sentence or ban. If harsher sentences were given it would deter people from carrying out the abuse in the first place. Animals have feelings just like humans so these crimes should be viewed equally to that of a human in a court of law! These abusers need examples setting that this abuse will no longer be tolerated! Its time us animal lovers make a stand for these animals without a voice!