'Pet police' to protect animals

People who mistreat their pets could be fined or even jailed after a visit from a special team of "pet police".

The Government is putting together a list of rules on how to look after pets and will punish those who break them.

The guide will have instructions on how to feed animals, where they should go to the toilet and even how to stop them getting bored by finding them friends.

The rules form part of a something called the Animal Welfare Bill which will become a law if MPs vote for it.

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The so-called "pet police" will be people who work for local councils, and they will be allowed to go into homes and even take animals away.

Each species of pet will have it's own set of instructions so owners know exactly how to look after it.

These will cover five areas which are:

• appropriate diet
• suitable living conditions
• companionship
• spotting abnormal behaviour
• protection from pain, suffering, injury and disease.