Where is the justice for animals?

[Vivacia]

Today i read a horrific story about a cat who was repeatedly thrown from a 60ft balcony by teenagers who also filmed their sickening behaviour on a mobile phone.
One of the teenagers involved has been sentenced to 4 months in a young offenders institution (a holiday for him - where he will get to sit around playing xbox all day no doubt, so hardly punishment), the other three are yet to be sentenced. Now if they had been doing this to a baby i'm sure the sentencing would have been longer. Why do people who inflict animal cruelty get off lighter than those who inflict human cruelty. I think they should carry the same punishment. what makes animal cruelty any less horrific in the eyes of the law?

[foxington]

I do sympathise with Vivacia. I, too, found this news item distressing as animals are defenceless and do not have a voice of their own. Moreover it is sometimes the case that individuals who begin by tormenting and killing innocent creatures can move on to committing horrendous crimes against humanity. Perhaps if our laws were harsher with offenders at this level not only would it protect creatures such as this poor cat but it might also prevent the possibility of crimes directed at human lives at a later stage.