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The IDP

The way some pigs are reared is 'upsetting and wrong', say shoppers

Most people willing to swap to supermarkets trying to improve farming standards, survey finds

Shoppers around the world overwhelmingly support high animal welfare standards for pigs, and most would also be prepared to change their supermarket habits in response, an international survey on pork consumption has found.

Seven out of 10 people questioned said they found the manner in which pigs are reared for slaughter on some factory farms “upsetting”, “wrong” or “shocking”, after being shown photographs of some pig-keeping conditions in the online poll. The survey highlighted practices such as sows kept in small cages, antibiotic use, as well as tail-docking, teeth-grinding and castration, sometimes without pain relief.

Eight out of 10 shoppers surveyed in more than ten countries agreed that high welfare for pigs was important, and nearly nine of out of 10 in three key countries said they could be persuaded to shop at a supermarket committed to improving the lives of pigs.

However, fewer than one in three shoppers in most countries polled said they actively looked for labels on pork products indicating the animals had been reared in high-welfare conditions, and the great majority of those surveyed globally cited price, quality and appearance as more important in choosing which pork products to eat.

The survey was carried out on behalf of World Animal Protection, and involved interviews with nearly 10,000 consumers worldwide, including the UK, the US and China, all major consumers of pork products, by the polling company Voodoo. About 1,000 interviews were conducted in each country in the report.

World Animal Protection, a campaigning organisation, called on major supermarkets to pledge higher pig welfare in sourcing their meat, and urged consumers to demand change from retailers. Steve McIvor, chief executive, said: “Supermarkets hold the power to create better lives for pigs. We are encouraging customers of leading supermarkets to let them know they expect higher welfare standards for pork products, with the guarantee that pigs are raised right.”

The group wants pigs to be allowed to live in social groups in comfortable environments, with opportunities to express natural behaviour, and an end to practices such as those highlighted in the survey: sows in small cages, pigs kept in “dark, squalid warehouses and cramped, stressful conditions”, piglets having their teeth ground and tail docked without anaesthetic, and the overuse of antibiotics.

Consumer concerns over poor conditions for many pigs was outlined in the UK recently in the BBC programme Countryfile, in which a farmer showed pigs being reared in cages, provoking furious responses on social media both from those shocked by what they saw and defenders of intensive farming for enabling cheaper meat.

Changing buying habits among consumers may be a challenge, as most surveyed do not currently base their consumption on welfare considerations and many showed little awareness of key aspects of pig-rearing.

Minimum standards such as the space in which sows are kept and basic restrictions on antibiotics are enforced in countries such as Europe but are not enough, according to campaigners, while the rearing of pigs in “mega-farms” in which they rarely have access to the outdoors is on the increase.

Some supermarkets around the world have already committed to higher welfare standards. From July, for instance, the Co-op in the UK will source all of its own-brand fresh pork, bacon, sausage, gammon and ham from outdoor-bred pigs on RSPCA-assured farms.

Jo Whitfield, the retail chief executive of Co-op, said: “The highest animal welfare standards should not just be the preserve of top-tier products and we want to ensure that the very best-quality British pork is available at everyday affordable prices.”

On outdoor-bred farms, piglets and their mothers have access to the outdoors for about four to six weeks from birth. After that, they can be reared indoors. In outdoor-reared systems, the pigs have access to fields for about half their lives.

Court remands 2 men over alleged cruelty to donkey

A Sokoto Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, ordered the remand of two men, Abdulkarim Muhammad and Ibrahim Ibrahim over alleged cruelty to a donkey.

The accused persons are facing a two-count charge of criminal conspiracy, riding and neglecting an animal.

The Chief Magistrate, Nuraddeen Bello, ordered the remand of the accused persons after they pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Bello adjourned the case until April 24, for hearing.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Mr. Monday Kennedy, told the court that the accused persons, who reside in Tafawa Balewa area Sokoto metropolis, intentionally conspired and rode on a donkey belonging to one Faruk Koko of Mabera area.

He told the court that the accused persons jointly rode on the donkey to Tamaje area of Sokoto where they handed the exhausted donkey to one Abdulmumin.

The prosecutor further said that Abdulmumin and the donkey were however knocked down by a car and both sustained injuries.

He said that the owner of the donkey reported the incident on April 16, at Unguwan Rogo Police Station, Sokoto.

Kennedy said the offence contravened Sections 97 and 208 of the Penal Code. 

Woman caught abusing puppy by neighbor gets jail

This is the sickening moment a cruel dog owner slams her puppy on the patio with such force, it suffered car crash-style injuries.

Shocking footage shows Joanne Hosking, 41, hurl Jack Russel terrier Edie onto a paving slab from shoulder height after it knocked over her cup of coffee.

The terrified dog is then punched and slammed into the ground for a second time, when it appears to lose consciousness before Hosking grabs its lifeless body and brings it inside her house.

The horrendous abuse was filmed by a neighbor from her bedroom window last July.

Hosking was jailed for 18 weeks at Bodmin Magistrates’ Court on Thursday after pleading guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

The court heard the dog suffered a dislocated hip for seven days and would have been in great pain. The dog later needed an operation to remove part of the joint.

The court was told its level of injury was similar to that often seen in a car crash, according to Cornwall Live.

When officers went to the property, the court was told that Hosking claimed the dog was injured in falling from a table — but a vet later confirmed that the injuries “could not have been obtained in that way.”

When interviewed about the incident, Hosking claimed that the dog was “a nutter” and “ran around like a lunatic launching herself off of things.”

Hosking and her husband, Christopher, 45, from St Ives, Cornwall, have both been banned for life from keeping any animal after they both admitted failing to provide veterinary care for the dog.

RSPCA Inspector Paul Kempson said: “The number of times that I’ve had to sit through that video and watch it, when I see that little 12-month-old, innocent dog being picked up to shoulder height and slammed down onto concrete paving slabs twice and hearing the thud as she makes contact — it actually turns my stomach every time I see it.”

Sheriff: At Least 12 Arrested for Animal Sacrifice in Texas

'It appears that they were having some sort of unknown ritual'

(NEWSER) – Authorities in Texas have arrested at least a dozen people for animal cruelty after interrupting what they believe was ritual sacrifice, the AP reports. According to the San Antonio Express-News, Bexar County sheriff's deputies found dead and dismembered animals in a San Antonio-area home Friday night after receiving calls that animals were being sacrificed.

Sgt. Elizabeth Gonzalez says that deputies saw more than a dozen people inside a garage where a woman was cutting up animal parts while another person was draining the blood of a chicken into a container. Gonzalez says, "It appears that they were having some sort of unknown ritual." Deputies found additional mutilated animals in the residence, including goat heads and more chickens. Gonzalez says between 12 and 14 people were arrested and will face misdemeanor charges of cruelty to non-livestock animals.

Sherif: At Least 12 Arrested for Animal Sacrifice in Texas *'It appears that they were having some sort of unknown ritual'

(NEWSER) – Authorities in Texas have arrested at least a dozen people for animal crueltyafter interrupting what they believe was ritual sacrifice, the AP reports. According to the San Antonio Express-News, Bexar County sheriff's deputies found dead and dismembered animals in a San Antonio-area home Friday night after receiving calls that animals were being sacrificed.

Sgt. Elizabeth Gonzalez says that deputies saw more than a dozen people inside a garage where a woman was cutting up animal parts while another person was draining the blood of a chicken into a container. Gonzalez says, "It appears that they were having some sort of unknown ritual." Deputies found additional mutilated animals in the residence, including goat heads and more chickens. Gonzalez says between 12 and 14 people were arrested and will face misdemeanor charges of cruelty to non-livestock animals.

Pregnant alpaca among three of the animals beaten to death on Buckinghamshire farm

'We can't process the evilness of it all'

The owners of an alpaca farm in Buckinghamshire have been left "heartbroken and devastated" after three of their animals were found brutally beaten to death.

Two of the creatures, Pleasance and Gabrielle, who was pregnant, were found dead in their shelter on 6 January.

A four-month-old alpaca named Ragamuffin was also found dead in the shelter the following day.

Their bodies were taken to a vet for a post-mortem examination, which showed all three animals had suffered blunt force trauma.

Lesley and Andrew Sapsford, who live on a farm in Little Kingshill, Great Missenden, are now worried about the safety of their remaining 80 alpacas.

"Somebody has purposely done this and they did it in the shelter so that they couldn't be seen," said Mrs Sapsford.  "We are heartbroken and devastated – we can't believe that anybody would be so cruel.

"At this time of year there isn't any grass on the field so we feed them concentrate, which means they would have seen someone coming onto the field thinking they were going to be fed.

"Our alpacas have never been treated badly by a human before. We can't process the evilness of it all. We're so worried about our other alpacas now. Whoever has done this could do it again.

“If anyone saw anything, heard our alpacas screaming, saw any strange cars – anything at all which would give us a lead – please report it to the RSPCA or the police.”

Rachel Smith, the RSPCA inspector investigating the case, also urged anyone with any information to come forward.

"This is a sickening act of cruelty which has left the owners devastated," she said. "It is very concerning that someone would think it acceptable to do this to an animal."

Animals being KILLED by mindless litter louts

PETS and wild creatures are being killed or left suffering horrendous injuries because of the mindless actions of litter louts.

Every two hours a call goes through to an emergency hotline to report an animal being harmed by rubbish.

Shocking photographs of a hedgehog garroted by an elastic band and a seal left floundering by a frisbee have been released by the RSPCA to highlight the crisis.

Birds are the worst hit creatures with plastic waste and discarded fishing tackle taking a heavy toll of swans, geese and gulls.

Sir David Attenborough’s Blue Planet 2 has focused global attention on the damage being done to the environment by the billions of bits of plastic contaminating our oceans.

Yet across the UK, frontline animal care workers are witnessing the horrific injuries caused to both pets and wild creatures either killed or maimed by litter.

The RSPCA said it received 5,081 calls last year about animals affected by rubbish. Among the pets and wild mammals worst hit were 146 domestic cats, 106 foxes, 74 deer and 53 hedgehogs.

Birds bore the brunt of the cases with 1,187 swans, 886 domestic geese and 440 gulls getting into difficulties after falling foul of waste.

By far the worst problem is caused by angling detritus, with seven out of ten calls through to the RSPCA blaming old hooks, lures, netting or other fishing paraphernalia. The other 1,396 cases largely related to plastic and tin cans.

The RSPCA’s head of wildlife, Adam Grogan, says most cases of litter impacting on any animals could be prevented if rubbish is disposed of properly and responsibly.

He said: “It’s shocking how many litter-related incidents we see, particularly as these kinds of animal injuries and deaths are entirely avoidable.

“It is good that there’s a global spotlight on how we use and dispose of plastic and other litter so that people understand how their rubbish is affecting animals and the environment.

“Every month our officers, wildlife centres and hospitals deal with hundreds of cases where pets or wildlife have become caught up in - and even died - from carelessly discarded items.

“Only last week, the RSPCA was called out to a duck, which sadly had to be put to sleep after being found with severe injuries from a ring of plastic - probably from an oil can - stuck round her neck and beak.

“An animal’s life could be saved if members of the public picked up and safely binned any litter they saw.”

Simply using commonsense can stop wild animals or pets suffering excruciating and life threatening injuries from the sharp edges of tin cans if the containers are cleaned and squeezed in half before being thrown away.

Reusing elastic bands rather than throwing them away stops them becoming wrapped around inquisitive hedgehogs or birds, while bottles and broken glass can easily trap small animals or cause serious cuts to dogs being walked.

The RSPCA is also highlighting the way it has to deal regularly with injuries caused by used fishing gear.

The charity said: “Most anglers are very responsible when disposing of their litter, but it only takes one careless person to endanger the life of an animal.

“Injuries caused by discarded fishing hooks stop animals eating and can lead to infection and old fishing line may cause strangulation or deep wounds where the line has cut into their body.”

Puppy 'hammer attack': Row in court as man faces animal cruelty charge

A ROW has broken out in a courtroom during the appearance of a man charged in connection with an alleged hammer attack on an 11-week-old puppy.

The 23-year-old man's mother clashed with animal rights activists inside the court after angry remarks were shouted at her son.

Kyle Keegan, of Gilpins Manor, Lurgan, Co Armagh, appeared before Craigavon Magistrates' Court on Wednesday charged with animal cruelty.

Standing in the dock, Keegan simply nodded to confirm his name and the charge against him.

No details of the alleged attack were offered in court.

As he was remanded in custody, a number of animal rights activists shouted angrily at him.

His mother approached one of the activists, and said: "He was brought up decent. He was brought up well," before leaving the courtroom.

Keegan was arrested on Tuesday after police were made aware that a puppy had been killed in an alleged hammer attack on Saturday at a flat in Ailsbury Park, Lurgan.

No bail application was made, and Keegan was remanded in custody for four weeks.

The case was adjourned to March 2 when Keegan will appear before the court via videolink.

Animal cruelty: Puppy dumped on a freezing night with both ears MUTILATED

TERRIFIED and freezing, this adorable puppy was left shivering on a doorstep after being horrifically mutilated.

The sad-eyed 10 week old lurcher had parts of both ears cut off before being dumped on one of the coldest nights of the year.

Luckily, the young dog, who has now been named Marlowe, was only saved when a householder answered a knock on the door to find the animal in a pitiful state.

The RSPCA has launched an investigation into the abandonment, describing the puppy’s treatement as awful.

Not only was the puppy missing parts from both ears, he was also lame in a hind leg and no nails on his front paws when he was found in Manor Farm Crescent, Bradley Stoke, Bristol, last week.

The RSPCA is appealing to the local community for help to discover how and why Marlowe was left on the streets at 9pm on a cold winter’s night and with such horrific injuries.

RSPCA Animal Collection Officer Chris James, who named the tiny puppy Marlowe after rescuing him, said: “When I first saw Marlowe I was shocked to see his ears were partially missing.

"It’s awful to think that someone could do such a thing intentionally.

"As he is only about 10-weeks-old, we are also very concerned about the rest of the litter and the other puppies who could be in a similar situation.

"Someone must recognise this puppy, or have some information about him.”

Vet Damian Pacini, who treated Marlowe at the Bristol Animal Rescue Centre, described how Marlowe’s ears had been cut intentionally in symmetrical straight lines around a third of way down each ear.

Marlowe is said to be eating and drinking well as he recovers from his ordeal.

Dr Pacini, who is part of a team aiming to raise £5,000 to help cover the cost of buying more life-saving equipment for the centre’s clinic this winter, added: “Marlowe was very weak when he first arrived but he has bucked up very well over the past 36 hours.

"I have every confidence he’ll be fine and soon find a loving new home.”

46 Cows Die Due To Pneumonia, Starvation At Andhra Pradesh Cattle Shelter

Police have registered a case against the management of the centre for alleged negligence that caused the cattle deaths at the shelter which was filled with slush due to heavy rains.

KAKINADA (ANDHRA PRADESH):  At least 46 cows died of "pneumonia and starvation" in an overcrowded cattle protection centre in Kakinada in the last few days, Andhra Pradesh government officials said today. Police registered a case against the management of the centre for alleged negligence that caused the cattle deaths at the shelter which was filled with slush due to heavy rains.


Rains in the city filled the cattle protection centre, run by the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), with slush and led to poor sanitary conditions, leaving the cattle in a hapless situation, officials said.

The SPCA, however, denied any negligence on their part.

Joint Director of Animal Husbandry V Venkateswara Rao said rains and slush caused pneumonia, leading to the death of cows.

"There were also some starvation that contributed to the death (of 46 cows). We have opened a special camp to treat the other cattle in the centre and the situation is now under control," he added.

While the centre could accommodate only about 150 cattle, 480 were housed there in crammed conditions, the officials alleged.

District Collector Kartikeya Mishra ordered an inquiry into the cattle deaths and disbanded the society. He constituted a committee, headed by the local Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO), to manage the cattle shelter.

The RDO, Raghu Babu, who visited the centre, said there was negligence on part of the society members that led to the tragedy.

On the instructions of the collector, the Sarpavaram police registered a case of negligence against the SPCA members but no arrests have been made yet.

The SPCA members, led by its president R V M R Rao, met Mr Mishra last night and blamed rains in the last few days for the cattle deaths. They claimed there was no negligence on their part and they fed the cattle properly.

They demanded that the case against them withdrawn.

2COMMENTS

The collector, however, said the remaining cows in the centre would be given to the Integrated Tribal Development Agency, Rampachodavaram.

The cattle would reared by the local farmers, he said.

Maximum jail term for animal cruelty should rise to five years, charity says

THE maximum prison sentence for people convicted of animal cruelty offences should be increased tenfold to five years behind bars, charities have said.

The current six-month maximum custodial term for the worst criminal cases was described as "shocking" and "laughable" by rights groups who want the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) updated with harsher penalties. 

Battersea Dogs & Cats Home (BDCH) will launch a campaign today, saying England and Wales lag behind many other western nations in penalising abusers. 

The RSPCA and the League Against Cruel Sports also called for increased prison terms, ahead of a parliamentary debate on the subject on Friday. 

Raising the maximum sanction to five years in prison would put England and Wales on a par with Northern Ireland and Ireland. In Scotland the current maximum is a year. 

Defra figures show the average prison term for someone convicted of animal cruelty is 3.3 months. 

BDCH chief executive Claire Horton said: "It isn't acceptable that our courts are unable to hand out tougher sentences in such extreme animal cruelty cases, yet the likes of fly-tipping can result in prison sentences of up to five years. 

"So let's get this into proportion and let the punishment for abusing animals truly fit the crime." 

In a report released today, BDCH said England and Wales' six-month maximum sentence puts England and Wales on a par with Belgium, Macedonia and the US states Idaho and Mississippi. 

But the BDCH says it lags behind countries like Latvia (five years) and Finland (four years), Connecticut and Louisiana (both 10 years) and Queensland (seven years). In Germany and France the maximum sentence is two and three years respectively. 

The report concludes that while the AWA was "a landmark piece of legislation" when introduced in 2006, "its provisions for dealing with animal cruelty have been overtaken by progressive legislation in Europe and the USA". 

It added: "Battersea's evidence suggests that the public wishes us to keep pace with these other countries." 

The campaign launch comes ahead of a debate in Parliament on the subject. The discussion of a Private Member's Bill by Anna Turley, the Labour MP for Redcar, will take place on February 24. 

In January the Sentencing Council introduced new guidelines designed to "ensure that the most serious cases lead to prison sentences, and that these sentences are of an appropriate length". 

From April, magistrates can take into account additional aggravating factors including the "use of technology to publicise or promote cruelty" and "animal being used in public service or as an assistance dog". 

Defra figures show 936 people were sentenced for offences relating to animal cruelty under the AWA in 2015, the most recent year for which statistics are available. 

Of those, 91 received an immediate custodial sentence, with the average length 3.3 months. A further 202 offenders got a suspended sentence and 341 received a community sentence. Some 177 offenders were punished with a fine, with the average being £244. 

A report in November by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee on animal welfare recommended increasing the maximum prison sentence to five years. 

Defra, responding to the committee in January, said: "Current sentencing practice for offences of animal cruelty in the Animal Welfare Act 2006 does not suggest that the courts are finding current sentencing powers inadequate." 

A spokesman added on Monday that the Government "shares the public's high regard for animal welfare" and kept the "strict" legislation under regular review. 

The RSPCA said its own polling showed that there was public support for stronger sentences. 

Chief executive Jeremy Cooper said: "The strength of feeling behind a move to toughen up these sentences is huge - but at the moment the courts are limited by the law. 

"The new sentencing guidelines are a step in the right direction but are confined by the sentencing ceiling in the Act. 

"We would like to see a further review of sentencing under the AWA to allow magistrates to give stronger sentences to those guilty of the worst animal offences." 

League Against Cruel Sports chief executive Eduardo Goncalves added: "If we don't offer a serious punishment to animal abusers then they will continue abusing animals. 

"I spend a lot of my time looking at horrific dog fighting footage as the League is working hard to stamp this out in the UK, but I know in the back of my mind that if we catch a dog fighter, the most they will get is six months in prison - and probably much less. 

"That's utterly inadequate and would be laughable if it wasn't so shocking." 

MP Miss Turley said: "The current sentences available to courts to punish animal abuse are not working. They often mean the perpetrators of cruel acts towards animals just receive a slap on the wrist. 

"If we do not properly punish these people then as a society we are essentially legitimising abuse against animals. There are some quite horrific acts of violence and cruelty to animals taking place around the country and the perpetrators clearly have no fear of the law. 

"The evidence also points to a cycle of violence where it progresses from animals to being against other humans. Tougher punishment would help stop this cycle before it reaches that stage. 

"By the standards of other countries and even nations within the UK, we are falling short and my bill will address that." 

WATCH: DOG MEAT FESTIVAL: Dogs’ agony as they are blowtorched to death and made into lunch

SOME of the worst ever scenes of dogs being battered, butchered and blowtorched emerged today as animal campaigners exposed the nightmare facing a million terrified pets.

Ricky Gervais led the condemnation of Indonesia’s shocking dog meat trade after a video was released showing how innocent animals are suffering unspeakable horrors.

“I didn’t know the magnitude, literally millions of dogs are slaughtered for food in Indonesia every year,” said the comedian and leading animal welfare campaigner.

“It has to be condemned, and we have to stop it. Now that you know, please help us help them, thank you.”

Mr Gervais was speaking after the Dog Meat-Free Indonesia coalition produced its shock report that not only exposes the immense cruelty to animals but also the threats of spreading deadly rabies into the human population.

The coalition’s video unveils the suffering of the small dogs – including stolen family pets – as they are snatched off the streets and then have their legs and mouths bound with tape before being bundled roughly into trucks.

It is just the start of their horror story.

Clearly terrified, the dogs are driven to markets, slaughterhouses and restaurants where they are brutally clubbed, some still wrapped in plastic sacks to stop their struggling.

The sound of dogs barking only adds to the torture of those pets awaiting the same ordeal.

Heavy staves are used to batter the life out of the dogs before they are unceremoniously hung up and cut open to bleed out. Some are skinned, others blow-torched.

Indonesia’s dark secret uncovered by coalition investigators breaches the country’s laws and regulations to safeguard public health and safety as well as provisions to protect animals from cruelty.

It also breaches rabies control recommendations from the World Health Organisation.

There are fears dogs infected with the deadly disease are being moved into highly populated areas, such as the capital Jakarta, which has worked to secure its rabies-free status.

Both the unsanitary conditions of slaughterhouses and the unknown health status of dogs slaughtered only increase the risk of traders, slaughterers, vendors and consumers being exposed to rabies and other infectious diseases.

Efforts to end the dog meat scourge has been given a powerful impetus by the coming together of campaigning organisations Animal Friends Jogja, Change for Animals Foundation, Humane Society International and Jakarta Animal Aid Network.

As the coalition launched Dog Meat-Free Indonesia today, the calls for action were supported by some Indonesia’s biggest superstars – actresses Chelsea Islan and Sophia Latjuba and singer Gamaliel Tapiheru – as well as UK ’s celebrities Joanna Lumley, Peter Egan and Ricky Gervais.

After Bali’s governor ordered a crackdown on the island’s dog meat trade earlier this year, the Dog Meat-Free Indonesia coalition is calling for similar action to be spread out across the entire nation.

Highlighting how the investigation had exposed both cruelty and health threats, Kelly O’Meara, from Humane Society International, said: “Indonesia’s dog meat trade is as brutal as it is unsafe, threatening to undo all of Indonesia’s hard work towards achieving rabies-free status by 2020. The Dog Meat-Free Indonesia coalition’s investigations have exposed the horrifying suffering that dogs caught up in the dog meat trade endure.”

Her remarks were echoed by Karin Franken, of the Jakarta Animal Aid Network, who addd: “Although dog meat is only consumed by a minority of Indonesians – estimated at less than seven per cent – and only a tiny fraction of society are reliant on it as a primary source of income, the dog meat trade threatens the health and safety of the entire nation.

“If Indonesia is to achieve its goal to eliminate rabies by 2020, urgent action is required by the government and all sectors of society.”

Dog Meat Free Indonesia says it is campaigning to secure an Indonesian-wide ban by harnessing opposition to the scourge by raising public awareness and political lobbying.

Lola Webb, from the Change For Animals Foundation, said: “There is an ever-growing opposition to the dog meat trade in Indonesia and globally, and we are committed to working with the government to identify solutions to ensure the protection of animal welfare and public health and safety, which are gravely compromised by the trade.”

Evil thugs who torture cats with fireworks hunted by cops: 'Need to be brought to JUSTICE'

EVIL thugs who tortured cats with deadly fireworks are being hunted by police across the country.

Officers are investigating three separate cases where cherished pets were killed or badly hurt after being blown up by powerful explosives.

The weekend of horror was condemned by a leading charity today who said the culprits must not go unpunished for their sickening crimes.

Hours after Express.co.uk reported how a cat had died after having two rockets tied to its body and ignited in Derbyshire, came news of investigations by police in West Yorkshire and Northern Ireland into identical but not related attacks.

An all-white cat called Percy was left with catastrophic leg injuries after brutes strapped a firework to his legs. 

Vets are fighting to save the Percy’s legs and animal lovers have set up a fundraising page to pay for treatment.

Percy’s owners Johnathan and Charlotte Doyle are appealing to the public to help police track down the attackers after revealing the heartbreaking moment of discovering their pet's badly injured body.

Mr Doyle told local media how he had gone out on Saturday night to look for Percy after he had failed to return to the family home in Airedale, West Yorkshire.

He said: “I saw a group of people walk past covering their mouths as if they were going to be sick and that’s when I saw Percy over the other side of the wall. 

“There was blood everywhere. 

"We did not know how bad it was until we got him to the vets. 

“It was worse than I thought. All you could see was muscle and bone sticking out, it was awful. 

"I was screaming blue murder.”

The Doyles, who have two other cats, praised the public support they have received as veterinary surgeons try to save Percy’s legs.

Mr Doyle said: “The community has been brilliant.  

“People are just outraged by this. We have thanked them for their kind words and helping to raise money, it’s not something we asked for, they have just done it. 

“We want these horrible, sick people who did this to be caught. 

"They need to be brought to justice.”

The Castleford Neighbourhood Policing Team are investigating the incident.

A West Yorkshire Police spokeswoman said: “It was reported that the injuries had been caused by unknown individuals attaching fireworks to the animal’s legs.  

“At this time, this is being treated as an isolated incident. Anyone with information is asked to call the neighbourhood team via 101.”

In Portadown, County Armagh, there were reports of a female cat called Mylo having its head severed after being targeted in a firework attack.

Mylo’s owner, who has not been named, explained how she was a “very trusting and friendly cat” who loved to sit on the wall and greet neighbours.

The woman said: “I feel sorry for the person or people who have done this to my wee Mylo. It has left our family devastated. 

"My friend reported it to the police for me as I was still in shock.”  

Police at Lurgan confirmed that fireworks are feared to have killed Mylo.

Sergeant Mel Gibson said: “It is believed the pet suffered serious injuries caused by a firework sometime between 3am and 10am on Sunday morning. The cat died as a result of the injuries.” 

Anyone with information is being urged to contact the police on 101, quoting reference number 230 of 06/11/17.

Police in Derbyshire are also investigating a firework incident after thugs set off two rockets tied to pet cat’s body. 

The horrifically wounded animal died as vets rushed to the incident in Thorndike Avenue, Alvaston, on Saturday afternoon. 

Leading feline charity Cats Protection today condemned the violence and called for justice for the pets and their owners.

Spokeswoman Louise Waters said: “We are completely dedicated to cats and their welfare so it’s very distressing to imagine the suffering these cats must have gone through. 

“We would strongly urge anyone who witnesses an act of animal cruelty to contact the police or the RSPCA. 

"It’s vital that we all do what we can to ensure that acts of this nature do not go unpunished.”

Men sentenced over sick footage of rat tortured then fired from pipe 'like cannonball'

THREE men who fired a rat into the skies like a cannonball in a Facebook prank have been sentenced for animal cruelty.

Video of the unfortunate animal being sent hurtling in the air at a garage caused outrage when it was released by investigators trying to catch the culprits.

Shocked Express.co.uk readers described the scenes as "evil and disgusting" and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.

One reader wrote: “What did they get out of this despicable behaviour? Poor little rat must have been petrified. Hope they find this low life scum. Then again, any punishment is just not enough.”

This week the three men behind the social media prank were each ordered to carry out 180 hours’ community work when they admitted jointly causing unnecessary suffering to the rat.

It has never been established what happened to the grey and white rat after it was fired into the air.

The RSPCA have described how the footage posted on Facebook showed the rat being caught in the tyre-fitting workshop with pliers and then forced into a pipe attached to a compressor.

When then rat wriggles, it is hit on the head with a metal pole before, moments later, being shot into the air and over a neighbouring building. Laughing and swearing can be heard during the 90-second clip.

The shocking footage led to scores of calls coming into the charity as investigators tried to identity the culprits.

Inquiries eventually traced the three men and saw them appearing before the town’s magistrates’ court on Monday.

Shaun Fussell, 29, of Quakers Yark, Treharris; Lee Jones, 42, of Pentrebach, Merthyr Tydfil, and William Morgan, 36, of Mountain Ash, were each given a 12-month community order that requires them to perform the unpaid work as well as paying £360 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.

After sentencing, RSPCA inspector Gemma Cooper said: “This was such a horrific case where this rat suffered unnecessarily.

“Even though some people see rats as vermin they are still protected by law in certain circumstances. They are still living creatures that feel fear and pain.

“These men purposely attached a gas compressor and put the rat in a tube and fired it. They knew exactly what they were doing.

“We never found the rat, but it surely suffered extremely from the horrifying incident.”

Following an appeal for information, the animal welfare charity received scores of calls from people trying to identify the culprits from the video footage.

Inspector Cooper added: “We would really like to thank everyone who got in touch with information on this case. We even had calls from Australia.

“We really appreciate all efforts to help track these men down which has ultimately led to a successful conviction.”