Animal cruelty is an incontrovertible prelude to homicidal cruelty against mankind; thus, animal cruelty must receive the same fatal consequences given to rabid and threatening animals: life termination.
I promote unconditional reciprocal justice measure-for-measure. I would condemn them guilty of animal cruelty to suffer their own psychopathic cruelty; rather than rewarding them with the free housing, healthcare, and meals in prison.
Remember, reader, there is no treatment known, pharmaceutical or behavioral, for sociopathy; there is no rehabilitation possible for psychopathy - that is - the human mind corrupted beyond restoration.
... feet first into the woodchippers of justice in defense of the innocent and vulnerable!