Bridges Simon: Animal Welfare Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Bridges Simon: Animal Welfare Amendment Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:660;Page:9076] 
SIMON BRIDGES (National—Tauranga) 
: 
 There are many reasons why the penalties for offending against animals must go up. First and foremost is that the sentences currently being handed down in courts are far too light. Despite us having a major problem in New Zealand so far under the Animal Welfare Act 1999 less than 3 percent of prosecutions have resulted in imprisonment. The most common penalty is the lowest possible fine. We can state this even more starkly: in the history of this nation fewer than 10 people have been sentenced to prison for animal welfare offending. When we consider the frequency and the cruel and sadistic nature of some of this offending involving mutilation and torture less than 3 percent or less than 10 people in total is derisory. 
In 2009 the SPCA as it does every year had no difficulty publishing its annual list of shame—the 50 worst cases of animal cruelty in a year. I warn the House and those people listening that if they are of a sensitive disposition they should tune out now. Cases in the last 12 months have included a dog beaten with a metal pole before being strangled to death so that a South Auckland man could prove a point to his fiancée; a cat killed by a Manukau man by a crossbow for eating chicken in the kitchen; a mastiff Labrador in Waitakere that had its mouth and legs tied together by tape and rope suffered terrible swelling to its mouth and deep scars to its legs its tongue had to be removed and it was eventually put down; a Labrador pit bull was dragged 50 metres behind a four-wheel drive vehicle through Napier so that one leg was ground to bone and the rest of its body was a bloody mess; a Jack Russell in Dunedin was partially strangled with chains then force-fed petrol before being killed with a spade to the head; and a tabby killed in Christchurch that had at least 14 nails hammered into its body and head. In the SPCA list were several cases from my home city Tauranga including one where a mutilated cat was found hanging by a piece of string from a street sign. A nail had been rammed into its head and its tail and three paws had been severed. In another case in the same month in my suburb of Mount Maunganui three 10-week-old puppies were found dead tied up in a plastic bag on the beach. These cases are not unusual or uncommon. Last week I was at the Gisborne SPCA and saw a cat that had its ears snipped off. I thought it was disgusting yet such cases would barely rate a mention in the SPCA’s annual list of the worst cases. 
Animal cruelty occurs all around the country all year long every year. Animal cruelty deserves serious punishment because it is a wrong in and of itself and because of what it is linked to. Through this law change we as a Parliament on behalf of the communities we represent tell judges to toughen up in this area. We instruct the courts to treat animal offending as truly criminal. Animals are sentient beings that are vulnerable to harm from humans. Animal cruelty is clearly linked to human violence and cruelty. An ever-increasing body of research proves that this offending is linked to family and other violence and to the worst psychopathic offending. By treating animal cruelty seriously we also help to ensure further serious offending is prevented. 
Although the Animal Welfare Amendment Bill does respond to ever-increasing public condemnation and a hardening against the evil of animal cruelty it is about more than that. This bill is required not only because of a recent spate of horrific cases. As I have said these cases occur all year round around the country every year. Although this bill will ensure tougher sentences it is also about more than simply that. By putting up penalties for animal offending we provide judges with more tools to protect more animals and to ensure offenders are treated more seriously but also get the attention and treatment from agencies that they require so that further serious offending is prevented. 
This bill started life as my member’s bill and it is now a Government bill. That means it has come to Parliament in a timely fashion but it also means a substantially strengthened law that simplifies and rationalises offences increases offence penalties across the board and does more to protect the welfare of animals. If I am frank there was the possibility that my bill would have had more symbolic than real effect. Our Government bill will certainly do more than that; it will improve the law across the board. 
The reasons for this bill in the first place and now as a substantially strengthened Government bill deserve mention. Last year following a week in Parliament I was at Wellington Airport going home. Anita Killeen a lawyer who is very involved in the Auckland SPCA approached me about a law change and I undertook to look into the issues involved. To me it is amazing that we live in the kind of country where a person can approach an MP and only a few months later a Government and indeed a Parliament of 122 MPs is acting decisively. My thanks go out to Anita. She put me in contact with Bob Kerridge of the Auckland SPCA. He gave me invaluable support and advice as have others in SPCAs around our nation including the national chief executive officer Robyn Kippenberger. I thank Bob Robyn and all in the SPCA who work for animals every single day. 
As the bill gained publicity I was inundated and touched by the supportive letters and emails I received from ordinary Kiwis. These people have given me a broader understanding of the issues involved in this area and the deeply affectionate relationship between humans and our animal companions. In mentioning ordinary Kiwis I cannot go past Amanda Colmore-Williams in Dunedin who because of her belief in this issue set up a group of supporters of my members’ bill on Facebook. She and now over 4000 supporters online have my sincere appreciation for giving me constant food for thought and encouragement and for each of their communities pushing for increased penalties for offending against animals. 
From the moment I decided I wanted change in this area of law the Minister of Agriculture David Carter has been unfailingly supportive. Since our Prime Minister saw fit to make this change for animals a priority he has ensured that the initial bill has been substantially strengthened and prioritised. I thank the Prime Minister and David Carter for their leadership. 
Finally I recognise that this is not just a Government acting but also an entire Parliament sending a message. Today we show Kiwis Parliament at its best. We send a message that this sort of offending is abhorrent to society. We tell judges to get serious and toughen up this area we provide them with the tools to protect more animals and we help ensure that further serious offending is prevented. I commend this bill to the House.