Cheshire East Council's new animal welfare champion is calling on the public to be 'our eyes and ears' in the fight against animal cruelty, abuse and neglect.

Councillor David Jefferay's (Ind) appointment to the post was announced at the recent meeting of the full council.

The Wilmslow councillor, who is a professional dog trainer and has been involved in many animal welfare organisations, from rescuing German Shepherd dogs to hand-rearing scores of young hedgehogs, was immediately quizzed by Crewe councillor Joy Bratherton (Lab) about how he could fight for 'those with no voice'.

Councillor Bratherton said: "My biggest concern, when we talk about animal welfare, is the lack of inter-agency working and lack of robust enforcement.

"They have got to start working together, and they have got to start talking to people.

"In the last few months, I've been involved with a colleague in the heartbreaking situation of a sweet dog left locked inside a house…

"Not the police and not even the RSPCA, to their shame, would intervene.

"It took councillor Faddes and myself days of persistence to convince them that this animal was suffering.

"Only when I made it clear that I would gain entrance to that property at a particular time on a particular day did they turn up in tandem in their vans and remove the dog and take it away."

Cllr Joy Bratherton (Credit: CEC)

Councillor Bratherton said she had learned of another similar case which was unfolding now.

"I'm going to ask our new animal welfare champion, knowing his record on animal rights activity in the past, what action is he going to take to strengthen enforcement?" said councillor Bratherton.

"What steps will you take to speed up the removal of an animal from an abusive situation, and how will you fight for those who have no voice?"

Councillor Jefferay replied: "I believe there's a lot of animal lovers out there who have lost faith in some of our bigger animal welfare organisations and wouldn't even think to contact the council if they're concerned."

He said it was important to point out the council is only responsible for welfare matters in a commercial setting, not domestic.

But he added: "However, the animals need all the help we can get, so my plan is to ask the public to be our eyes and ears, and I'm more than happy to be contacted by people with concerns that fall outside the council's remit, and I'll do my best to help."