Petition · past parliament

Tougher and longer custodial sentences for those found guilty of animal abuse.

Rejected 19 signatures

What the petition asks

Time and again we see examples of animal abuse prosecutions that lead to minimal punishment for extreme examples of unspeakable cruelty. Animals abused, leading to successful prosecution, but no prison sentence or a suspended sentence. This is not a deterrent and must change.
There was a recent case of two people who starved their lurcher dog to death. They were found guilty, with no mitigating circumstances. The punishment was a ban from keeping animals, a £450 fine, 100 hours unpaid work and an 18 week suspended prison sentence. This is simply not good enough. To make an animal suffer for so long and deliberately starve it, is a disgusting act and deserves a considerable custodial sentence. Nothing less will deter others from committing such vile crimes.

Why it was rejected

There was already a petition about this issue. Duplicates are rejected so signatures collect in one place.

Timeline

30 Jan 2017 Petition opened for signatures
1 Feb 2017 Rejected by the Petitions Committee

Key facts

Signatures 19
Status Rejected
Rejected 1 Feb 2017

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.