This means that cropping dogs' ears will become illegal, but cropping their tails will not.But it will not affect other childish practices, like collecting worms, or keeping spiders in matchboxes, because the Bill applies only to vertebrates. Farm animals and animals used in scientific experiments are covered by separate laws.During 2004, the RSPCA inspectors checked more than a million animals and found that nearly 70,000, including 20,000 dogs, were not properly cared for.Jackie Ballard, the former Liberal Democrat MP who is now the RSPCA's director general, said she welcomed the new Bill: "It will become the most far-reaching improvement to the welfare of animals for almost a century. The Bill does not ban the use of animals in circuses, as some campaigners wanted it to."Once this legislation is enacted, our law will be worthy of our reputation as a nation of animal lovers," Mr Bradshaw said. "Anyone who is responsible for an animal will have to do all that is reasonable to meet the needs of their animal."The Bill will raise the maximum penalty for causing unnecessary suffering to an animal to 51 weeks' imprisonment and a fine of £20,000, four times the present limit.It was introduced to Parliament on a day when police arrested two teenagers in connection with the death of a dalmatian named Spot, who was found hanging from a tree at Cudworth, South Yorkshire.
09/11 Shop for Elton John Tickets performing in Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Susquehanna Bank Center. Elton John is performing in Saratoga Springs, Camden and Noblesville. Elton John tickets
08/11 - 09/11 Buy Train Tickets playing in Charter One Pavilion At Northerly Island, Harrah's Casino Tunica. Train is playing in Chicago, Robinsonville and Lenox. Train tickets
06/11 - 09/11 Land Maroon 5 Tickets staging in Pearl Concert Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Ravinia Pavilion. Maroon 5 is staging in Las Vegas, Highland Park and Reno. Maroon 5 tickets
The Sun newspaper has offered a £5,000 reward for information leading to the killers.The new Bill will supersede the 94-year-old Protection of Animals Act, and will combine 20 pieces of legislation. But Mr Bradshaw said this would be "too nannyish" to be extended to England and Wales. The Bill, published yesterday, will ban pet shop owners and fairground operators from selling or giving live pets to children under 16, unless there is a responsible adult present. Current law permits the sale of pets to over 12s, but Ben Bradshaw, the Animal Welfare minister, said 12 was "simply too young" for a child to appreciate the long-term implications of looking after a pet, .In Scotland, fairgrounds face an outright ban on giving away live creatures as prizes, under devolved legislation. For those parents who have suffered the threat "if you won't buy me a hamster, I'll buy one myself with my own pocket money", relief has arrived in the form of an Animal Welfare Bill setting out how the Government will protect the nation's pets.
"He was trying to grab the e-mail and wrestling me round the room, grabbing me and grappling, crashing around the place. I didn't have a clue what to do." He added: "Either I have pulled a muscle or the rib is broken."Mr Davies said he did try to grab the e-mail, but denied there had been a brawl.The Talksport host Ian Collins told the Daily Mirror: "Two grown men in Savile Row suits brawling as if they were in a playground They were in a bear hug and were really going for it They were serious.". Mr Davies was criticising the UK's "compensation culture", when the Labour MP Kevin Jones made a goading reference to the attack."Do you not think there is a fundamental right if someone, for example, is attacked and has a cracked rib that they should be able to take a case against the assailant?" Mr Jones said.Mr Davies quipped back: "If anybody does have a cracked rib they very much should go to court and press their case in a court of law."The earlier row erupted after Mr Pound read out an e-mail from one of Mr Davies' staff asking local Tories to telephone Talksport to support him.Mr Pound said Mr Davies "completely lost the plot" after the show. A Tory MP involved in a radio station fracas with a Labour MP challenged his opponent to prove his injury claims in a court of law. Philip Davies, MP for Shipley, denied brawling with Labour's Stephen Pound, MP for Ealing North, who claims he may have broken a rib. Mr Pound said his Tory rival "completely lost the plot" over an embarrassing e-mail he read out on Talksport radio on Tuesday.The pair came face to face again yesterday, this time separated by at least two swords lengths on either side of the Commons, over a private member's Bill about employment tribunals.