SPCA dismayed by sentence

The SPCA yesterday expressed dismay at the sentence handed down to two teenagers found guilty of torturing a dog and burning it to death.

The magistrate placed the boys on three years' probation and remarked in his judgement that had there not been favourable pre-sentencing reports about them by a probation officer, they would have found themselves behind bars.

The SPCA argued that the sentence did not pass on the right signals to those who seemed to find no difficulty in being cruel to animals.

There was too much cruelty going around. The SPCA felt that an example should have been set with this particularly vicious case. The very least should have been a hefty fine and a warning of a jail sentence.

How could law enforcers be motivated to do their job if the result of their labour ended in such a tame manner?

The courts had to take account of the growing awareness across the country in favour of animal welfare that the SPCA had for so long been promoting.

Cruelty to animals was one step away from cruelty to humans.