Bringing perpetrators to justice! The big problem.

Jail animal torturers

Shane Johnson, Msida.

I am truly sickened at the number of cases involving animal cruelty in Malta, with dogs and cats being found strangled, others burnt with acid while yet others have their paws sawn off.
I am sure that it must take a particularly cruel individual to hurt these animals in this way and I am equally sure that if someone has so much hate inside him/her that he/she is capable of inflicting torture on an innocent animal, this person must surely be cruel enough to also hurt other humans.

The problem is that although we hear so many sickening stories, we rarely hear of the perpetrators being brought to justice. Possibly the police have enough on their hands without having to investigate crimes involving animals, but what is happening is that we are not sending the proper message to these monsters that animal cruelty, especially torture, is punishable by law and in other foreign countries criminals caught hurting animals have to serve time in jail.

It is high time that we too start sending people who have tortured animals to jail, which will surely act as a deterrent to these cowards who feel good by inflicting pain on another animal.
Recently we have also heard of animals being stolen from Ir-Razzett tal-Hbiberija and were also told that a deer was bludgeoned to death. Some suspects have been detained by the police and there is reportedly strong evidence that might link the crime to these suspects. I would strongly suggest that should the suspects be proven guilty, they should serve an effective jail sentence and let this be the message that there is no place for barbarism in our country.

HERE, TOO, WE HAVE A LAW-ABIDING CONTRIBUTOR SPEAKING HER HEART AND MIND OUT, SO TO SPEAK. SHE IS WRITING IN ORDER TO HIGHLIGHT THE ORDEAL THAT CATS AND DOGS GO THROUGH, HERE IN MALTA, BY PEOPLE WHO ARE, IN FACT, NOT PEOPLE AT ALL, BUT SOCIAL PROBLEMS ON TWO LEGS!

WE ARE ALL AWARE - WELL, 'WE', THAT IS, THOSE OF US WHO READ THESE PAGES AND WEBSITES DEDICATED TO ANIMAL WELLBEING - ABOUT THE RIGHTS OF ANIMALS. WHEN I SAY ANIMALS, I MEAN ALL ANIMALS, WHETHER THEY ARE DOMESTIC OR FARM ANIMALS.

OF COURSE, WE HAVE TO KEEP OUR FEET FIRMLY ON THE GROUND. AND YES, BE REALISTIC. FOR WE CAN EXPECT ALL PEOPLE TO BE KIND TO ANIMALS AND NOT TO INFLICT ANY CRUELTY ON THEM. BUT CERTAINLY WE CANNOT EXPECT ALL PEOPLE TO FOLLOW US IN OUR VEGETARIAN LIFE. IT WOULD BE CRAZY TO EXPECT ALL AND SUNDRY TO ACCEPT TO FOLLOW SUCH A LIFE. MOREOVER, IT IS NOT AS SIMPLE AS THAT, TO CHANGE FROM ONE LIFESTYLE FULL OF EATING MEAT, TO ONE WHICH IS 100% MEAT-FREE. (I STILL HAVE TO 'MEAT' A PERSON WHO IS 100% VEGETARIAN! AND LIVING TO TELL THE TALE!) MOREOVER, THERE IS SCIENTIFIC ARGUMENT AGAINST MOVING FROM ONE LIFESTYLE TO THE OTHER OVERNIGHT!

I AM ABSOLUTELY NOT SAYING THAT THE HUMAN BEING SHOULD CONTINUE SLAUGHTERING THE ANIMALS THAT ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED AT THE MOMENT, FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION. FAR FROM IT - LET NOBODY WITH AN AXE TO GRIND AT ME MISINTERPRET ME IN THIS MANNER. HOWEVER, IT WOULD BE EQUALLY IRRATIONAL TO EXPECT - DEMAND! - THAT ALL PEOPLE QUIT EATING MEAT AS FROM DAY 1!

THE HUMAN BEING, AFTER ALL, IS PART OF THE NATURAL JUNGLE AND ANIMALS do EAT OTHER ANIMALS, SO ......