Why farmers and cruel tourists who abuse animals should face tougher penalties – Helen Martin

HOW depressing it was after last week’s column focused on animal cruelty that I read two stories in the Evening News about the horrific actions of a farmer and a bunch of tourists.

Penicuik farmer William Brown pleaded guilty to punching and kicking sheep in his Herbertshaw farm. He didn’t have any option given that he was filmed by an undercover welfare officer from Peta (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). Brown was fined only £550 while the Scottish SPCA (and most people, I hope), felt he should have been banned from owning or working with animals.

Penalties have to be improved and sheriffs have to impose the worst of all on a farmer. How much violence could he carry out privately when no one’s there to film it and have him charged?

Tourists in the Highlands, seen by a tourist guide, were causing a stag to charge by thrusting chocolate biscuits at him while another in the small hours of the morning panicked a young stag by trying to make it drink whisky.

Over-tourism is one thing. They are not responsible, our tourist industry is.

But stupid, cruel tourists being abusive to our wildlife is a different matter. Signs and pamphlets should be issued telling them to observe but stay away from our wild animals. If tourist guides witness such ill-treatment, surely they should be able to ban them from the tour and report what should be a recognised offence to the law and the Scottish SPCA?