No matter your celebrity status, animal abuse cannot be tolerated. Today we share commentary from Rachel Fletcher, Head of Crime and Regulatory with regards to recent video footage of footballer Kurt Zouma.
Footage has emerged on social media of top Premier League footballer, Kurt Zouma, kicking, slapping and even throwing items at his pet Bengal cat and Rachel, our head of Crime and Regulatory team, is calling for more action to be taken.
She said: “Kurt is a role model who people look up to, especially influential children and we just cannot be seen to endorse this type of behaviour. Under a new bill passed in Parliament last year, animal abusers can now face tougher prison sentences and I would urge the Met to reconsider their stance not to investigate.
“We work very closely with the RSPCA and fully support their call for prosecution, to not only set an example that this is unacceptable and won’t be tolerated; but to also seek an order to prevent him owning animals, now and in the future. Such prosecutions can be brought by the RSPCA by way of a private prosecution or the police or in some circumstances local authorities and in this case, there is clear evidence of a crime.
“It is hard to believe this is an isolated incident which the footballer now claims when the video circulating not only shows the shocking extent to the abuse but that both he, and his brother who filmed the incident, can be heard laughing and hunting the cat down to attack again.”
Penalties for animal abuse offences
Here we have evidence of clear actions of causing injury or abuse to an animal. The penalties for committing an offence of cruelty or for failing to provide for an animal’s welfare needs include a ban from owning animals, a fine of up to £20,000 or, in some cases, a six-month prison sentence.
Further information regarding the law on animal welfare
The offence is under section 4 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 which says:
- Unnecessary suffering
(1) A person commits an offence if—
(a) an act of his, or a failure of his to act, causes an animal to suffer,
(b) he knew, or ought reasonably to have known, that the act, or failure to act, would have that effect or be likely to do so,
(c) the animal is a protected animal, and
(d) the suffering is unnecessary.
(2) A person commits an offence if—
(a) he is responsible for an animal,
(b) an act, or failure to act, of another person causes the animal to suffer,
(c) he permitted that to happen or failed to take such steps (whether by way of supervising the other person or otherwise) as were reasonable in all the circumstances to prevent that happening, and
(d) the suffering is unnecessary.
s.4 is the legislation that deals with this offence and it says:
Animal cruelty is the failure to provide for the “Five Welfare Needs” of domestic animals or livestock as laid out by the Animal Welfare Act 2006. These are:
- The need for a suitable environment
- The need for a suitable diet
- The need to be able to exhibit normal behaviour patterns
- The need to be housed with, or apart, from other animals
- The need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease