Britain's status as a nation of animal lovers has long been compromised by individual cases of cruelty.

At first glance, figures from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, showing a huge leap in the number of prosecutions and convictions for animal maltreatment, suggest that we are becoming crueller still.

Across the North East region, convictions rose by 23 per cent to 798 last year: a quarter of the total convictions for the entire country. That gives cause for concern - but not despair.

Looking at the issue at a local, rather than regional, level puts the problem in a different perspective. In North Yorkshire and the East Riding, the number of prosecutions did increase, but only to 46 - fewer than one a week.

We should be aware of the danger of interpreting these statistics incorrectly. A rise in convictions is not necessarily evidence of a rise in levels of cruelty.

In one way, we should be heartened by the figures. They imply that people are now readier to complain to the authorities about animal abuse.

Greater public co-operation has much to do with the RSPCA's success in raising its profile. The charity was once thought of as a well meaning group of individuals doing their bit to help neglected cats and dogs. But it is now a highly professional organisation which does not hesitate to take action against offenders, whether they are pet owners, farmers or other animal workers.

Thanks largely to a series of popular television documentaries about its work, the society has begun to be regarded as the animal police. Viewers are more aware than ever of what constitutes animal cruelty and their willingness to help must have boosted the number of convictions.

Unfortunately, however, many people still get away with terrible maltreatment and neglect of their pets and livestock. To hit back, the RSPCA wants animals to be fitted with microchips which contain details of their owner. That would certainly help bring some offenders to justice.

But the people most likely to mistreat their animals are also the ones who would evade such a registration scheme. There is no substitute for vigilance.

In the meantime, the courts must support the RSPCA by exacting harsh penalties on offenders. The decision by a judge not to impose a life ban on Mary Chipperfield owning animals, after she was convicted of cruelty to a chimpanzee, does nothing to help the society's cause.

see COMMENT 'County animal cruelty shame'

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