Today and everyday we hear of horrific stories of Animal Cruelty. In this day and age, its hard to believe there's still people that would enflict such vile acts of cruelty on the most defenseless creatures on this planet.

But what hits me the most and I'm sure I'm speaking for the majority of the Irish population, that it hits that bit harder when it's news of an animal being mistreated by people in our country. The hardest part is knowing that our countries government has NOT shown any effort to enforce animal cruelty laws.

According to The Animal Welfare Act 2013, we have laws on the prohibition on animal cruelty which states:

Any act, or failure to act, that causes unnecessary suffering or endangers the health and welfare of an animal is an offence. It is also an offence to allow or cause someone else to cause unnecessary suffering to an animal.

However, there have been HUNDREDS, if not, THOUSANDS of animal cruelty cases whereby the people accused are punished with a MINISCULE fine or TEMPORARY ban on the ownership of pets. Does that sound like justice to you? 

How does anyone hurt a tiny puppy? Or an defenseless dog? An animal has a brain like you, like me. They have a heart like you, like me. They have thoughts like you, like me. They have a personality like you, like me. They are innocent like a small child. They play like a small child. They think like a small child. They are defenseless like a small child. They are voiceless UNLIKE a small child.

Now think of an animal you saw / heard / know who has endured cruelty from a human. Imagine that same act being inflicted on a small child. A child so small, they can't speak yet. Imagine being so helpless. Imagine the pain. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING TO AN INNOCENT ANIMAL. A DEFENSELESS, HELPLESS, VOICELESS INNOCENT ANIMAL.

Yet, do it to a child and you'll get years, even life in prison. Do it to an innocent animal, and you get a fine or a ban. 

This country is upside down. Our Minister for Agriculture has a VOICE but remains silent. We need this country to stand up for our animals. Animals are suffering, this government has the ability to PUNISH the people causing this suffering. Why have an act in place if it means nothing? This law NEEDS to be enforced.

So I'm calling on the Irish people and beyond to get behind this, we want the Irish Government and Authorities to take a stand for animals, enforce the laws that are in place and PUNISH the people committing animal cruelty APPROPRIATELY. 

WE NEED STRICTER LAWS, TOUGHER PUNISHMENTS TO PREVENT ANIMAL CRUELTY.