Britain to punish lousy pet owners
Legislators across the pond have enacted stricter rules to prevent animal cruelty and to mandate the responsibilities of pet ownership under penalty of fines and jail time.
Legislators across the pond have enacted stricter rules to prevent animal cruelty and to mandate the responsibilities of pet ownership under penalty of fines and jail time. The Animal Welfare Act went into effect April 6. Neglectful owners and animal abusers now may face fines of up to £20,000 (US$40,000), a maximum 51 weeks in jail, and a lifetime ban on owning pets. Also, the minimum age for buying a pet without adult supervision has been raised from 12 to 16. The new law mandates that owners provide pets, at a minimum, with: a suitable environment, a suitable diet, the ability to behave normally, the ability to be housed with or apart from other animals (as is best for the pet), and protection from pain, suffering, injury, and disease.
