Latest news with #petabuse
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Animal ban for couple who kept 29 pets in flat in Exeter
A couple who kept 29 pets in a flat have been banned from keeping animals for eight Magistrates' Court heard Mark West and Rebecca Sowden had kept 14 snakes, 12 cats, a tortoise, a bearded dragon and a leopard gecko in a one-bedroom flat in Taunton Close, court was told the couple had been given advice 19 times by the RSPCA, social services, police and council officials about the state of the home and pair admitted two charges of failing to ensure welfare for the animals in their care. The court heard Sowden had studied animal care at college and West was a fast food delivery driver. 'Conditions were squalid' The animals were not fed, watered or exercised enough and had to live in the faeces-covered flat with not enough living space or heating, the court Judge Stuart Smith said: "The flat was not fit for humans or animals alike but they were forced to endure those conditions."The prosecution told the court the animals had all been signed inspector Miranda Albinson, who investigated the case, said: "The conditions within the property were squalid."She added: "These animals were badly neglected and were confined within a space that severely compromised their health and welfare."Judge Smith sentenced both Sowden and West to 12-month community orders with unpaid work, ordered them to pay costs of £514 each and banned them from keeping any animals for eight years.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
'Inhumane' man shoved pet Chihuahua in oven and blocked the door until it burned alive
A man from Atmore, Alabama, has been accused of cooking his pet Chihuahua alive because it would not stop barking. James Williamson, 44, is facing a felony charge of aggravated animal cruelty after he allegedly locked the dog inside a heated oven. The incident occurred last Monday when Williamson got into an argument with a family member and threatened to carrying out the act. Sickening: James Williamson, 44, is facing a felony charge of aggravated animal cruelty after allegedly cooking his pet Chihuahua alive Williamson is alleged to have taken dog, stuffed it inside a hot oven and turned the appliance on before wedging a chair against the door to prevent the puppy from escaping. Neighbors reported hearing yelping and cries coming from inside Williamson's home, but by the time police arrived the sound had stopped. According to Sergeant Darrell McMann of the Atmore Police Department, an officer who owns a Chihuahua himself found the puppy's charred, lifeless body outside on the driveway, suffering from severe burns across its body. McMann described the case as 'horrible and inhumane' and said it tested his composure in a way few cases have. He told WALA: 'When I got there, I was just at a loss for words, you know. I really just stood there and looked at the dog for a little bit and had to get myself together. 'This was someone's pet. This was a life - a small, trusting, defenseless life - and it was tortured.' Williamson was swiftly arrested and charged with a class C felony, the standard charge for aggravated animal cruelty in Alabama. He was booked into custody with a $15,000 bond. If convicted, he will be prohibited from owning animals in the future. But Sergeant McMann believes the punishment should be far more severe. He said: 'I think in cases like this, they [the law] should be strengthened. Because I don't think being a class C felony fits what he did.' Currently, Alabama law treats aggravated animal cruelty as a lower-tier felony. That means, depending on prior history and the court's judgment, Williamson could avoid significant prison time altogether. Those on social media were outraged by what they had heard. 'Well if he didn't like barking, don't get a dog!' one person said. Another wrote: 'At what point are we going to change our laws here in Alabama so people like this are actually punished? Animal abuse happens far too often, and it's unacceptable. 'We rank 49th out of 50 states for the worst animal cruelty laws. We need to do better, Alabama. It's heartbreaking that we continue to do nothing to improve, while people go on committing these horrible acts.'
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
YAHOO POLL: Do you support harsher punishments for animal abusers?
They were more than just strays – they were community fixtures. Shere Khan and King Kong, two well-loved cats from Punggol and Yishun, have become tragic symbols of a growing crisis in Singapore: the apparent inadequacy of animal cruelty laws. Both cats were tortured in ways that animal groups call 'deliberate and sadistic'. Now, Singaporeans are signing petitions, demanding that Parliament enact stronger legal protections and heavier sentences for offenders to curb animal abuse, citing over 900 cases in 2024 – the highest in a decade. Other polls YAHOO POLL: COVID-19 cases on the rise – are you staying vigilant? YAHOO POLL: Would you approach otters if you saw them in Singapore? YAHOO POLL: Did Thunderbolts renew your interest in the MCU? Existing laws allow for a maximum of 18 months' jail and a $15,000 fine. But with the scale and brutality of abuse on the rise, many believe that simply isn't enough. Past cases have seen perpetrators walk away with less than a year in jail – even after killing pets. Two viral petitions argue that current penalties fail to deter abusers. Even government leaders have spoken – Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong pushes for education, while Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam calls the killings "appalling." But is education alone enough to stop future cruelty? Or should Singapore tighten its laws to match public outrage? Have your say and take the poll. Related Cat abuse cases in Singapores's Punggol and Yishun lead to calls for stricter action Punggol community cat's death sparks outrage over animal abuse in Singapore NParks investigating another brutal cat death – this time in Punggol 'What kind of person will do this?': Shanmugam condemns abuse, killing of Yishun community cat
