MSPs have debated increasing jail terms for those convicted of abusing or injuring animals.
The Scottish Parliament have held their first stage debate on the proposed new Animal and Wildlife and Penalties Bill.
Changes that have been put forward include increasing the maximum penalties for the most serious animal offences to a potential five years in prison, instead of the current 12 month penalties.
Service animals such as dogs and horses will be given new protection under 'Finn's Law', already in place in England and Wales, preventing those who attack or injure service animals from claiming self defense.
The law is named after Finn, a police dog who was stabbed whilst pursuing a suspect with his handler. Finn sustained serious wounds to the head and chest, but only criminal damage charges could be brought against the attacker.
The Scottish Government's rural affairs minister Mairi Gougeon said: "We want to continue to have the highest standards of welfare for our animalss and to have the most robust and proportionate penalties available.
"Through increasing the maximum penalties available for the most serious animal welfare and wildlife offences, we are ensuring that those who carry out these heinous acts will rightly face the full force of the law, as and where appropriate."
A new process would also be introduceed to allow animals that have been taken into possession on welfare grounds to be rehomed, without the need for a civil court order.
This new move hopes to put an end to animals caught up in court proceedings spending lengthy amounts of time waiting to be rehomed. Under the new legislation, animals could be rehomed after three weeks.
The Scottish SPCA have responded to the debate today with their encouragement for the bill after campaigning for many of the issues mentioned for years.
Since 2016, the SSPCA have spent over £1.5million on caring for animals involved in such proceedings. In one puppy farming case, the charity spent £440,000 caring for the dogs involved whilst waiting for court proceedings to conclude.
Scottish SPCA head of education, policy and research Gilly Mendes Ferreira said: "It is fantastic to see the Scottish Parliament open the debate on the proposed changed to improve animal welfare law. Everything proposed in the bill will make Scotland a better place for animals.
"The reforms have the potential to be transformative through a combination of harsher sentences, greater protections for service animals and the ability for charities to rehome rescue animals involved in legal proceedings in a matter of weeks rather than months or even years."
The general principles of the legislation were agreed at the stage 1 debate, the first of three parliamentary stages to be completed in the coming months.
