We are all constantly bombarded with images of animal cruelty. Day in and day out via various avenues like social media, newspapers and Television. People share and comment on these things in the hope of raising awareness to a higher power that will do something about the small minority of people that think it is acceptable to harm or abuse an animal. Unfortunately the stats show that not enough is being done to tackle this growing problem. Currently the maximum sentence for animal cruelty stands at 51 weeks whereas the maximum penalty for children abuse is 10 years. 51 weeks....... Just think about that. In 2014 the RSPCA investigated nearly 160,000 cases of animal cruelty but only around 1,000 cases went through to conviction which was down by about 300 from the previous year. Which means there are potentially around 140-150,000 people that have violently, maliciously and purposely hurt an animal that have not have any punishment for it. Examples of the kind of behaviour we are talking about included a Staffordshire bull terrier puppy filmed being thrown, kicked and having his head trapped in a door, a dog who was found shot in the head with a 20in crossbow bolt. A rabbit died in agony after being microwaved in Gloucestershire, a cat which had been run over in Lancashire died after being kicked like a football by a passer-by and an eight-week-old Jack Russell terrier puppy from East Sussex which had its tail cut off. Surley if the maximum sentence was increased to match that of children this would make people think twice about what they are doing? Animals deserve a Life free from pain and suffering at the hands of people and those who will not allow them that right deserve proper punishments