• Anton La Macchia and his two cute moggies. Photo supplied
A SPEARWOOD youngster says he’s so angry that animal abusers are getting off with light sentences that he’s created an organisation to lobby for harsher penalties.
Anton La Macchia, who’s so passionate about animals that he volunteers as a native animal rescuer and as an after hours emergency vet assistant, says he was so incensed by dog killer Jayde Paul Rowan’s suspended sentence last June, he formed Harsher Penalties for Animal Cruelty in WA.
At the same time he got a petition going calling for the McGowan government to review the Animal Welfare Act which has 1800 signatories.
The 15-year-old says that since working with the vet and animal rescue, he’s noticed an increase in animal cruelty cases.
“The RSPCA do a good job themselves, and their inspectors are being abused as well,” he told the Herald.
Mr La Macchia says a well-established link between people who abuse animals then go on to further crimes – including psychopaths – is a motivating factor in pursuing harsher penalties.
Information about the petition and his organisation is available at hpfaciwa.org.au.
There’s another Change.org petition being organised by a friend of Luna, the 4-year-old labrador killed by Rowan in Mirrabooka last year, which has collected 26,000 signatures. It also calls for a review of the act and harsher penalties.
by STEVE GRANT
Hi, I tried to get on to the website to sign Anton La Macchia’s petition on hpfaciwa.org.au, but it comes up with ‘page not found’. Isthere a mistake in the printed address, or is the petition closed now?
Thanks,
Hi Jackie, head to: http://www.hpfaciwa.org (no ‘au’ at the bottom). Petition is still currently active. Head to the home page and scroll down to the bottom and you’ll find the link. Hope that helps! Cheers, Anton.