Defenseless animals victim of toothless Hungarian laws

Courts will be able to sentence animal abusers to up to three years imprisonment under a new parliamentary decision, but civic organisations do not expect the tightened law to act as a deterrent, wrote Wednesday's nationwide daily Magyar Nemzet.

Until now, the maximum sentence was two years, but, say the civic organisations, since its passage only nine people were sentenced to any time in prison at all despite the fact that the Supreme Prosecutor's office pressed charges in 350 cases.

So, wrote Magyar Nemzet, abusers of defenceless animals are likely to get off with suspended sentences, fines, or community service. The paper cites findings in the United States that link animal abuse to later crimes against humans. The paper cites research statistics showing that 40-50 percent of violent criminals begin by abusing animals.

Magyar Nemzet cites the animal protection organisation White Cross, whose president Istvan Szilagyi noted that the law calls for "permanent damage," to an animal, which means that, for instance, a dog owner that beats the animal daily but breaks no bones is not prosecutable under the law. White Cross is lobbying parliament to change this law as well as to establish an animal protection patrol, wrote Magyar Nemzet.

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