Even slugs love the Brits

[badger]

From The Times (Britain) - Animal welfare overhaul planned

People who abuse animals could be fined £20,000 and jailed for a year under proposed law changes, a newspaper says.
The government's draft Animal Welfare Bill, to be published on Wednesday, is set to be the largest overhaul of animal welfare legislation since 1911.

The Times says RSPCA inspectors could be allowed to enter premises by force where animals are at risk of harm.

Mistreatment of animals currently carries a maximum £5,000 fine and six-month prison sentence.

The Bill would give anyone owning a pet, farm or exotic animal a "duty of care" to look after it, the Times reports.

Confiscation

Owners who failed to do so could see their animal taken away and be banned from keeping one in future.

Protection would extend to creatures such as insects, slugs, worms and butterflies if it can be proved they suffered pain and distress.

Carla Lane - who runs the Animaline welfare centre in West Sussex and is famous for creating BBC sitcoms the Liver Birds, Butterflies and Bread - told BBC News 24 she would welcome new legislation but more could be done.

"A man who is sorely cruel to a dog should not be told he can have another one in three years' time.

"I'm talking about extreme cruelty. I remember one man who kept a dog in a rabbit hutch for two years. The government should listen to people like us - sanctuary owners, animal people," Ms Lane said.

The Bill would also enable RSPCA inspectors to enter trucks, ferries or other vehicles carrying animals without a warrant.

Controversial issues including circus animals and the docking of dog tails will apparently not be dealt with in the Bill.

A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesman confirmed the Bill would be published next week but refused to discuss the contents.

[glasslass]

Is this cruelty? Rather than use snail bait in my back yard, I used to go out at night and put them in a plastic ice-cream bucket. In the morning, I would take them to this man-made lake near my home and feed them to the ducks. I've since found a snail bait that is safe to use.

[chico2]

Glasslass,I use a snail-bait,it's safe for my cats,but probably not for the snails I know many places in Europe have strict animal-cruelty laws,something we in Canada need to look into(bill C22).Unfortunately the all mighty $$$$ speaks louder than suffering animals in North-America.

[melanie]

three cheers for the smart brit who thought up that one, hiphoray, hiphoray, hiphoray, for the brits, good on ya's. fantastic new bill, hope it goes through, yahooooooo..
people, you dont need to use baits in your gardens. there are many companion plants one can use to stop the snails eating the veges or flowers, and the snails get to eat the companion plant and evryone can live in harmony, snails can be good for gardens and your garden is a little ecosystem and relies on all creatures for that system to be healthy, even snails have their roles. little snails dont mean to eat your gardens, it is just a bad addiction/habbit for them, im sure they dont mean to eat your prize winning cabbage . check out any good permaculture book and you will find many solutions to have a harmonious and very healthy garden and no need to use baits or poisions, which may not affect you house pet but could greatly affect your soil microbes and other insects which will be bad for your garden health overall..now out you all go, and grow some nice tomatos that will be snail free cause you just put in a good companion plant
glassy, lucky ducks, boy that is alot of work for a few snails, try a new planting using permaculture rules and you will be the happiest gardener around (<that is your smile with your happy poision free garden)