I'm like you Nick, I see a headline relating to animal cruelty and thats as far as I go. I will not read the article because then my mind gets away from itself and tries to imagine these cruelties and I cringe and feel terrible. I just can't believe the depravity of some people. I would never ever do anything cruel to an animal and I can't understand how others can. It's sick!!!

There is no answer to the question of whether we can ever be rid of cruelty. It is a choice that each human being has to make every moment of their lives .... whether they will approach other living creatures with love or cruelty.

I used to read articles about animal and child cruelty but generally now I don't ... my reading them doesn't help eliminate the problem and it certainly diminishes my quality of life.

This all sounds very familiar to me Nick. I too will only go as far as reading the headline and that's it. A while ago I realised that reading such stories only ever wound me up to the point that I would feel a consuming rage or I'd just want to start crying. And that's the thing, you feel completely and utterly sorry for the animal involved and so very angry, but where does all that emotion go? It eats up your energy and makes you jaded and frustrated because you want so badly to see the perpetrators punished but there's not a lot you can do. I'm reminded of these feelings when I skim the headline and then I move into blocking mode and pass on.

I used to volunteer at the SPCA and that made me feel like I was helping and it was great to see my energy going to something worthwhile. And for anyone out there that feels that immense sense of frustration when they read these horrific stories, giving back in a real and practical way such as volunteering works wonders for those frustrations.

"Can we ever be rid of it?" - well... plenty of people aren't nice to each other let alone nice to anything else on this planet. Humans have a long way to go but it's certainly not impossible.

Yeck! yuk yuk yuk!

DOn't like reading them, like to focus on positive things but really alot of the times I read one i'm thinking give me 5min alone with these bast@#ds

would be extremely satisfying..

I frequently read them. I kind of feel that if I and others don't, we are letting this stuff not touch us - letting it glide over us. And I kind of have the feeling thaat if enough of us don't read them, they cease to be news because no one is interested, and we know that the more we ignore the atrocities, the more likely people are to go on doing them because society is letting them get away with it. Concentration camps and Hitler in the second world war, perhaps because too many people decided they couldn't do anything about it?

I agree about the blackening of your day and the sense of futility about it and sometimes don't read them for that reason.

I really like the suggestion of trying to do something back re the SPCA - the other thing I would like to see (and think some positive energy could be contributed to) would be doing something serious about the penalties for animal cruelty. I know increasing the penalties isn't going to stop it - but I have a feeling that regarding cruelty to animals on a par with cruelty to animals might help reduce it, a bit.

Thanks for raising it Nick, we need to think about these things...

Nick, the best thing you can do on this issue is to continue your good work promoting the things we love about our furry companions. Every time I see one of those animal cruelty articles I'm filled with rage and sorrow, but the next day there's always something to cheer me up here, so I consider your blog a fantastic service.

Recently I read of a group of Auckland lawyers who have gathered to pro-bono prosecute animal cruelty offenders, and I say best of luck to them, I wish we could have similar groups around the country. But sensible sentencing of offenders (not to be confused with the Sensible Sentencing Trust) desperately needs to be addressed. Why is cruelty to an animal not aggravated assault?

Nick, you do a wonderful job promoting the pleasures and joy our animals give through this great blog site. Carry on the good work.

Like most posters here, I see a headline about animal cruelty and that's as far as I go. Too harrowing to read any article relating to animal cruelty.

It's beyond me how anyone could possibly betray an animal's trust and by inflicting pain on the poor creatures. They are so vulnerable and precious. Says a lot about the mentality of the perpetrator! Scum of the worst kind!

Animal cruelty needs to be taken more seriously than it is now. I see National MP Simon Bridges is introducing a bill to have the law toughened up and increase the penalties for cruelty to animals and rightfully so. You go Simon!

I'm like you, Nick; I do sometimes try to read these stories, just so I can be reminded that they do still have the power to shock and horrify me. I always immediately regret doing so, but we as animal lovers have to be aware that this awful stuff goes on - because it's only through awareness that we can have a voice to do something about it.

That's why I'm fully behind Paw Justice.

Kazz #1 i am exactly the same as you, when i see the headline i try to ignore it and not read the story but then my mind goes crazy and starts imgaining all sorts of awful cruelty so i just end up reading it. Its awful and completly ruins my day but i dont think people should ignore these stories. Awareness needs to be brought to them so something can be done about the sickos who are cruel to animals. If people just ignored the stories then no one would be horrifed enough to jump into action and do something about it. There is a petition that should be at most petshops and spca's from pawjustice. You can download the petition online and i urge everyone to do this! they need 3 million signatures for something to be done about the sentancing for animal cruelty. We need to get together and send these bas*ards to jail!

Animal cruelty cannot be allowed to go on or go unpunished. There is a petition here in NZ to increase punishments for animal abusers. It is called Paw Justice. You can find it on pawjustice.co.nz You can do something with those noble human sentiments of anger and sorrow and join with others in getting justice for abused animals.

I've signed, have you?

All the best Nick. Anyone who is a friend of animals is a good person in my book :)