More cases of cruelty to animals in Poland
PR dla Zagranicy
Paweł Kononczuk
15.03.2017 12:06
The number of crimes against animals in Poland is steadily growing, according to a report by the interior ministry.
Photo: pexels.com
Police confirmed more than 990 such crimes in 2004. By 2014 the number had shot up to 1,501, rising to 1,859 in 2015, according to the interior ministry.
Cezary Wyszyński from the Viva! animal rights foundation said crimes against animals can be divided into two groups.
"The first concerns intentional cruelty to animals. These are situations when people just take pleasure in causing pain to animals," he said.
The second group arises from negligence -- such as failing to feed an animal properly or to provide it with veterinary treatment -- and is more common, he added.
Wyszyński said that more organizations are working to protect animals, which could be a reason for more cases of cruelty coming to light.
The Ministry of Justice has drawn up a bill to provide tougher penalties for cruelty to animals. Offenders would face up to three years in prison, or up to five years in extreme cases.
(pk)
Source: PAP