SPCA inspectors shocked at the slaughter of 33 dogs after a row between neighbours in Northland on Monday said it was the worst case they had seen, but animal cruelty was a growing trend.
Mr Kerridge said today inspectors faced animal cruelty every day as part of their job.
"You get cases like this, we had the case where the guy pulled the head off a kitten, feeding kittens to pitbull terriers...
"They are getting more bizarre, It is nothing to do with finances (financial stress). It think it is just that we live in a much more violent society.
"The crimes are certainly more extreme." He said there appeared to be less remorse and less concern for the consequences from people committing acts of animal cruelty.
Mr Kerridge said the growing level of violence towards animals was a very worrying trend because it was well documented that people who were violent to animals were often violent to people.
"What they can do to animals they soon do to people. That is very established, very, very clear," he said.
