New animal cruelty bill
Bill to be introduced to tackle cruelty to pets and farm animals
The Scottish Executive is to propose new legislation to raise the age when children can buy pets from 12 to 16.
A bill to be announced by Rural Development Minister Ross Finnie will contain a raft of measures to curb cruelty to animals. It aims to permit intervention on reports of neglect, rather than waiting until obvious suffering is evident as under the present law.
Among its specific proposals will be a ban on giving pets as prizes.
The Executive believes there should be a serious crackdown on suffering among both domestic pets and farm animals.
It is hoped a new law will stop cases like the alligator found in the boot of a car. Anthony Quinn, 34, of Leith, pleaded guilty last December at Edinburgh Sheriff Court to a cruelty charge related to his keeping a 4ft alligator in his bath at home and then trying to sell it at a car boot sale.
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