THE maximum jail sentence for cases of animal cruelty should be raised to five years, according to campaigners.
Animal welfare charities say the current maximum jail term of 12 months does not act as a tough enough deterrent and should be increased five-fold.
It comes as an animal sanctuary boss was jailed for eight months for neglecting dogs she was supposed to be looking after and also stockpiled dead animals in a chest freezer.
Zara Brown, 29, charged owners to take their dogs in to her care at her Ayrshire Ark refuge, adopting animals if they were unwell or if their owners could no longer look after them.
But she failed to give them adequate food and water and abandoned them in a dingy, derelict primary school with no lights and an overpowering stench of faeces and urine.
When inspectors from the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals searched the premises, they found a dead dog lying on the floor and seven dead dogs and a cat shoved in a chest freezer.
Yesterday the mother-of-four was jailed and banned from keeping animals for life when she appeared for sentence at Ayr Sheriff Court. She pled guilty last month to neglecting eight dogs so badly she caused them unnecessary suffering.
Brown ran her Ayrshire Ark refuge from the former St Xavier’s Primary School in Patna, Ayrshire.
The court heard that some dogs were simply left to die in the dilapidated and remote building, while others were shoved in a chest freezer rather than being buried or given back to their owners to allow them to make final arrangements.
The dogs were forced to clamber over mountains of rubbish, debris and building materials and had no clean areas to go to.
Yesterday the Scottish SPCA welcomed the sentence but called for the maximum jail sentence to be increased under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006.
Scottish SPCA chief superintendent Mike Flynn said: “We feel the current maximum sentence in Scotland for animal cruelty offences doesn’t act as a deterrent since very few sheriffs’ use the maximum sentence. 
“In 2016 our investigations led to 33 bans on keeping animals, including five life bans, 25 fines, 13 community payback orders and only three jail sentences. 
“There are large inconsistencies in animal cruelty sentencing throughout Scotland, which we would like to see addressed, and we feel a five-year maximum jail sentence would provide the sheriff with a greater range of options.”
The call was backed by MSPs who have vowed to look at the sentencing increase.
Ruth Maguire, MSP for Cunninghame South, said: “When trusted expert organisations such as the Scottish SPCA point out areas where the law could be improved, I think that it’s incumbent upon us all to listen to them and consider their advice carefully. 
Margaret Mitchell MSP for Central Scotland added: “The abuse often results from a thriving illegal business where perpetrators can make big money whilst keeping defenceless animals in appalling conditions. “
Brown showed no emotion when her catalogue of neglect was revealed last week during a hearing at Ayr Sheriff Court.  
Speaking after Brown was jailed, Scottish SPCA inspector Leanne McPake said: “As an inspector who deals with animal cruelty we expect to see horrible things. However this case was particularly harrowing and will stay with us for a long time.”