I am angry and depressed with continuing accounts of pet owner cruelty and the neglect of animals (The Argus, November 6).

There is absolutely no excuse for this.

The PDSA exists to help owners who are genuinely unable to afford vets’ fees. But in many of the cases you cite, indifference and carelessness play a major role in neglect, and not necessarily poverty.

The reasons given for dumping pets are often derisory, yet there are sad situations where, say, landlords refuse to take pets, or older people move into care and are obliged to rehome their animal.

With most shelters full, they are left in despair.

It is time that we in Britain recognised we are not a nation of animal-lovers, or only to a degree.

Some basic lessons in animal welfare should be included in all school curricula, together with continuing education about animal needs for children and adults alike.

If all else fails, the RSPCA should have greater powers to prosecute – the sentences given for animal cruelty are currently totally inadequate.

Diane Waller, Richmond Road, Brighton