DISTURBING statistics have emerged highlighting how cruelty against animals is on the up across the county.

This is shocking and will no doubt anger and upset the many, many animal lovers among us.

The RSPCA has been busy highlighting the issue and sadly some of the worst cases of abuse have happened here, in Thurrock.

Recently the Gazette told the story of seven-week-old Westie, named Tilly, who was found in a crisp box in Orsett. 

And in our last edition, we told a horror story from Tilbury of a thug who held up his tiny Yorkshire terrier, suspended by its lead, before beating the little dog several times over the head.

Fortunately this act of savagery was caught on camera and the owner was subsequently, and rightly, dragged through the courts.

Eventually, he was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to seven-year-old Scamp.

That’s great. But what punishment did he get? Well, he was banned from keeping animals for a total of five years...is that really long enough? 

And he was ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work within the community. OK. 

Also he was told to pay up £560 costs. Right.

This all left me thinking whether this sentence was anywhere near severe enough.

If we are to reverse the worrying trend of this increase in animal cruelty, then maybe harsher treatment of those abusers may help?

How about a bit of prison time for the worst of them? That should give these offenders ample time to think long and hard about what they have done.

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