Editorial: We must act if animals mistreated

I WAS not familiar with an SPCA "list of shame" until my second week in Hawke's Bay. Unfortunately the Bay featured on this list - three local people were among the 50 worst cases of cruelty in 2008. One was a 36-year-old man from Napier, the others two youths from Hastings.
The man should have known better and youth offences are a disturbing trend.
It made for uncomfortable reading and sadly the situation is not getting any better.
Our local list of shame grows - Emily the cross-bred dog starved so badly she had to be put down; Star the Labrador-pit bull cross dragged behind a car; Flo the dog suffering head wounds after being tied and beaten; and dog Ruby abandoned in December with a broken leg.
Other animals are not immune - goats shot with crossbows, kittens drowned, and cats dumped in rubbish bins and shot in the head.
As recently as this week a starving pit bull was euthanised and a kitten thrown out of a moving car.
SPCA pleas are being ignored.
What's going on in our society that people feel the need to torture or abandon animals?
Is it a reaction to the stresses of the economy? Are some people just born or encouraged to be cruel?
Every time we report these acts of cruelty there is an outpouring of anger and disbelief from readers via texts, emails and letters.
There are obviously good people out there, so why is it continuing unabated?
Surely if people find they can't support an animal, they know it can be surrendered to SPCAs.
Letting pets breed without control is irresponsible. Many vets will allow pet owners to gradually pay off desexing operations or other medial treatments if the cost is a hurdle.
There are simply no excuses for animal cruelty.
These acts are often seen as a precursor to other violent acts on people.
This is cause for alarm. Fines and other punishments can only do so much.
So what can we do? We need to get involved, intervene and report.
Clarke Danvers of Napier did so last month, intervening when a dog was attacking a goat. He is an example for others. Do what you can - safely.
Do not stand back, you could save an animal's life.