We are signing this petition today because we are horrified by the escalating crisis of pet abandonment across the UK, as warned by the RSPCA. As colder, darker winter nights approach, thousands of innocent animals are being cast out like trash by the very people sworn to protect them. This is a profound betrayal of trust, and the current judicial system is failing to deliver justice for these victims.
The figures are terrifying. Abandonment cases in Devon surged by nearly 15% and by over 40% in Cornwall in a single year. These are not just statistics; they represent individual lives subjected to "hopeless cruelty and neglect."
Look at Nova: This innocent dog was confined to a cage and left to starve until she suffered from severe malnutrition and cachexia. Her 'owner' simply moved address and left her behind to die.
Look at Layla: Rescued from a filthy garage filled with faeces and rubbish.
While Nova and Layla thankfully survived and are recovering, countless others are not so lucky. The crisis is fueled by a lack of responsibility, amplified by rising costs of living, but ultimately enabled by penalties that often do not fit the shocking nature of the crime. When an owner deliberately starves or abandons a pet to suffer, this is not just neglect it is criminal cruelty.
We, the undersigned, demand that the UK Government and the Crown Prosecution Service take immediate action to end this culture of disposable pets by making the following changes mandatory:
Mandatory Maximum Sentences for Abandonment: Ensure that the maximum custodial sentence of five years for animal cruelty (as introduced by the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021) is consistently and aggressively applied in severe cases of abandonment that lead to suffering, like those of Nova and Layla.
Lifetime Ban on Pet Ownership: Make mandatory a lifetime ban on owning any animal for individuals convicted of extreme abandonment or starvation, ensuring these convicted abusers can never inflict pain on another creature.
National Education Campaign: Fund a robust national campaign on responsible pet ownership, focusing on the legal, financial, and ethical commitment required before bringing an animal into the home, and highlighting resources for owners facing financial hardship.
Every signature on this petition sends a powerful message to the courts and to Defra: We demand accountability. Abandonment is not an oversight; it is a crime that causes agonizing suffering.
Sign now to ensure that the individuals who abandoned Nova and Layla, and thousands of other innocent pets, face the full force of the law. Their pain deserves nothing less than justice.
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