New Zealand: Martine Genet found guilty of animal cruelty, banned from owning animals for 10 years

NEW ZEALAND -- More cases of animal cruelty are being reported to police.

Many come from the Auckland SPCA where chief executive Bob Kerridge says staff are taking a no-nonsense stance with offenders.

"In the past 12 months we’ve adopted a zero tolerance approach. Before we might have issued warnings but now we tend to take people to court."

The SPCA previously focused on educating offenders. But Mr Kerridge says prosecution helps reinforce the message that animal abuse will not be tolerated.

"Reporting high-profile cases when they occur and when we take them to court creates a much greater awareness of what’s going on."

The most recent prosecution saw Martine Genet found guilty on five counts of failing to alleviate pain and suffering for the five kittens in her care.

She was sentenced to a month in jail on March 18 and disqualified from owning animals for 10 years.

(Western leader - April 9, 2008)