BOLTON MP David Crausby joined an RSPCA patrol to confront owners of neglected animals.

During the patrol, Mr Crausby saw pets that were left outside their homes in the cold for hours, without food or water.

The Bolton North-east MP accompanied inspector Caroline Hall on her tour of duty to visit four owners about whom the RSPCA has received several complaints.

Mr Crausby joined the patrol, ahead of the second reading of the government's Animal Welfare Bill, to learn more about the new powers the RSPCA says it needs.

He said: "I saw dogs tied up outside in the cold for hours without food or water. It's not the way to treat animals. It wouldn't be done to a human so I don't know why some people think it's okay to treat a dog like that.

"With scenarios like those it is very hard for the RSPCA to do anything. They have to show the animal is suffering physically, and though you could tell the dogs were bored out of their brains, it would be difficult to prove the owners were being cruel.

"Under present legislation, the inspectors have no real powers. But under the new bill, the owners who treated their dogs like that would be failing in their duty of care."

Powers in the new Bill could see animals that are tethered for long periods taken into care and their owners prosecuted.

Mr Crausby, who does not have any pets because of work commitments, said he "wholeheartedly" endorsed the RSPCA's "no pets for Christmas presents appeal.

Caroline Hall said: "We are urging people not to buy animals as pets for Christmas. It really is the very worst time to get a pet. Houses are full of people, decorations are up and it's chaos - not a good environment for a new animal.

"The numbers of abandoned animals we get in January and February are always very high. It doesn't matter how many times the appeal goes out, people think the message doesn't apply to them. And when the novelty has worn off the poor pets are dumped.

"It was very useful to have Mr Crausby along for the patrol. He will be able to give feedback about a very important issue. Inspectors go to the same properties year after year. We went to one with the MP where the owner claimed the dog was untrainable and that was why it was always outside."