ANIMALS may not be able to speak for themselves but the SPCA is doing its best to give them a voice.

Recent high-profile cases, brought to court by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, have seen those who have abused pets and livestock not only punished with fines, but also shamed by strong words from magistrates.

The recent case of Walter Brangman, who was fined the maximum payable $1,000 after pleading guilty to causing the death of his 18-year-old terrier cross as a result of neglect which caused unnecessary pain and suffering, was one such shocking case.

Magistrate Carlisle Greaves was so horrified by pictures of the stricken animal, infested with maggots, that he had his clerk show them to everyone in the court room.

Such cases shock the public and help to get the message across to Bermuda that cruelty to our fellow species is unacceptable, unnecessary and illegal.

SPCA inspector Charles Whited is in the front line of the battle against animal abuse. From his base at the society's animal shelter in Valley Road, Paget, Mr. Whited monitors the welfare of the thousands of animals in Bermuda with the help of the animal lovers who call him, often anonymously, when they see cruelty and neglect.

Mr. Whited spoke to the Mid-Ocean News about his work, the pitfalls of Christmas for animals, how he believes ignorance is the animals' greatest enemy and how he is constantly shocked by the capacity of apparently respectable and intelligent people to abuse their animals.

WHEN you walk along the front of the kennels at the SPCA animal shelter, and see wide-eyed dogs of all ages jump up at their cage doors, with tails wagging expectantly, eager for some human attention, it's difficult not to feel pity.

But in truth, these are the lucky ones.

They are surrounded by people who care about them and they are well housed, well fed, watered and exercised. Better for them a stint in the shelter than being mistreated, abandoned, neglected or left to gnaw at trash bags on the streets.

All of them are there as the result of sad stories, whether it be an owner who died or left the island, could no longer afford to keep them, or mistreated them so badly that they had to be seized by the SPCA.

Imagine what sort of life could have awaited Comet and Cupid, five-week-old pitbulls, brother and sister, had they not been admitted to the shelter just last week. They had been given away to an animal lover, who knew she could not keep them but realised the pups were too young to have been weaned from their mother and so brought them to the shelter for specialist supervision.

The dog kennels are full to capacity - there were 10 canines available for adoption this week - and the shelter is also currently home to 30 cats, six guinea pigs, a rabbit and a pony.

Their chances of finding a home are good, judging by the most recent turnover statistics. During the months of September through November, the shelter took in 47 dogs, 81 cats and eight other animals. Homes were found for 43 dogs, 63 cats and two of `the others'.

However, should anyone be looking to give away one of the shelter's inmates as a Christmas present, the SPCA has a message for you - don't do it. And they will bring a tempoarary halt to adoptions between next Monday and Thursday, December 27.

Inspector Charles Whited said: "People come here and think an animal would make a cute, inexpensive, last-minute gift. But history has proven that time after time, these animals are brought straight back to the shelter within four weeks, whether it's because the person receiving the animal did not want it or it was not what they expected.

"Christmas is a busy time, with lots of parties and functions going on and is an unsuitable time for introducing an animal into the family environment. It's a stressful time for humans and for animals too.

"Christmas is a family-oriented time and a new animal could be neglected. Animals adapt better to people in a quieter environment when people can spend more time with them."

Aside from the prospect of becoming an unwanted gift, animals face other potential perils during the upcoming holiday, usually involving unsuitable foods or tempting decorations.

In the SPCA's December newsletter, Dr. Neil Burnie writes in the Vet's Column: "Sadly, there are a few animals for whom Christmas means a trip to the clinic and a big bill for the poor owner."

Dr. Burnie goes on to point out how Christmas decorations can be fascinating - and dangerous - to pets. If a cat attempts to eat a long strand of tinsel, for example, the central thread is usually too strong to bite through and can become anchored in the mouth or stomach causing internal damage and requiring surgical removal.

Puppies and kittens may be tempted to chew on the thin wires of Christmas tree lights, raising the possibility of an electric shock which could be fatal. And poinsettia plant leaves are poisonous, while also tempting for cats to chew on.

Dr. Burnie added that chocolate was not good for animals, particularly dark chocolate that contains a chemical called theo-bromine, a stimulant capable of causing illness and even death to a dog if ingested in large quantities.

Mr. Whited, a former dairy farmer who has raced ponies in the US and Canada, has worked for the SPCA since May, 1999. His job involves him seeing sickening cases as well as heart-warming stories. He said he believed most people in Bermuda were either excellent animal owners or very poor, with few people inbetween.

"I think most of the people who are not so good with animals are like that because of a lack of education," said Mr. Whited. "They do not understand the daily responsibilites that make for good animal husbandry and as a result, animals end up suffering.

"When I go out and see a situation that is less than acceptable, I offer the people the opportunity to rectify the situation by pointing out things they are not doing correctly and I give them an opportunity to put those things into practice.

"I make follow-up calls to check on the animal, its environment and physical condition. But there are some people you can't educate. And if they don't act on the advice, I have to seize the animal and let the magistrate decide what to do.

"The magistrates have been very supportive in our cases and we are very grateful to them. Like us, they do not understand the reason for neglect and cruelty to a pet, who is a member of the family."

Mr. Whited urged people to think to regard a pet as a family member to better understand its needs.

"If you saw your child sitting there crying, tied to a tree with no shelter, losing weight and with no fresh drinking water, what would you think?" he said. "How would you feel if your child was given a glass of green water, with algae growing in it, to drink? We should not accept that for an animal either."

Some of the cases of maltreatment seen by Mr. Whited have affected him emotionally, but he said he could not let his feelings get in the way of his work.

"Every case is unique and I don't think there is a week that goes by when there is not a situation which does not upset me or disturb me," he said. "But you have to maintain your focus, rmember the reason you are there and deal with it professionally.

"What is surprising to me is the type of people who are guilty of neglecting animals. I have known the culprits to be people who are well respected in the community, well recognised people with good jobs." Mr. Whited preferred not to give names for legal reasons, as two such cases involving highly respected professionals are pending.

The inspector is helped at the shelter by the five other paid staff - kennel administrators Jodi Corbett and Miriam Maccoy, office manager Theresa Ince and office administrators Rosemary Ray and Kelly Holmes. And the society is run by an executive made up entirely of volunteers, headed by president Debbie Riley and shelter chairman Dr. Andrew Madeiros.

Running the society costs around $300,000 annually, Mr Whited estimated, all of which comes from donations. Substantial bequests have helped keep the charity up and running, as well as fund-raising events like last months `Paws to the Park', involving 80 walkers and 65 dogs, which raised more than $8,000. And the dozens of volunteers who help in fund-raisers,as well as walk dogs and clean at the shelter, play a crucial role in the society's work.

The shelter has undergone a substantial revamp in recent years with the addition of a `cat's playroom' and the incorporation of the offices into the same building as the kennels the major improvements.

And more developments are in the pipeline. An outdoor enclosure for cats and a park-type area for dogs to socialise are hoped to be ready next year.