With support from all political parties, Parliament has passed legislation increasing the maximum penalty for animal cruelty.
The original legislation was a member's bill in the name of the National MP for Tauranga, Simon Bridges, but after publicity over two cases of animal abuse it was picked up and progressed as government business.
In the first case a Gisborne man admitted throwing five kittens to his pitbull terrier; the second involved the killing of 33 dogs in Wellsford.
The legislation increasing the maximum penalty for cruelty to animals from three to five years' imprisonment was passed on Thursday afternoon.
