WHEN the Animal Welfare Act became law in England and Wales last March, we hoped it would put an end to cruelty and neglect.

The first review of pet laws in 94 years, it replaced the Protection of Animals Act and combined more than 20 pieces of legislation into one.

Animal welfare groups hailed the creation of tougher penalties, including fines of up to £20,000 and up to 51 weeks in prison, as a major step forward.

The Act also placed a "duty of care" on pet owners to provide the bare necessities for their animals. Animal Welfare Minister Ben Bradshaw said of the legislation: "Once it is enacted, our law will be worthy of our reputation as a nation of animal lovers."

Sadly, it appears that the powers available to punish animal cruelty still don't go far enough.

Lee Howard was jailed for six months and given a lifetime ban from keeping animals last year after pleading guilty to one of Britain's worst ever animal cruelty cases. Yesterday, he was jailed for a second time after RSPCA officers discovered more appalling neglect of animals at his home in Middlesbrough.

A prison sentence did not deter Howard from breaking his lifetime ban, nor did it prevent him from keeping them in appalling conditions.

Although the North-East has the unenviable record of being the animal cruelty capital of Britain, people here feel most strongly about the issue. A recent survey found that 84 per cent felt the UK needs tougher laws.

We agree. The time has come to get tough on animal cruelty.

As a first step, the courts must use all their sentencing powers to punish people who persistently mistreat animals. And we hope the Government will look again at the maximum fines and custodial sentences laid down in current legislation.

This country needs to send a clear message that cruelty against animals will not be tolerated. Only then can we truly call ourselves a nation of animal lovers.