Personally, I think it's a ridiculous position for the Government (and the Law) to take. Surely the focus should be on preventing such techniques to be used today - but older films, where it's already a done deal, why cut it? I don't see the BBFC taking a stern line on grazing horses suddenly forced to become workhorses (pulling stagecoaches and the like) which, I'm led to believe, is equally as abusive and cruel to the animal as any other mistreatment that might befall them. Yet the BBFC leave this cruel treatment intact in all westerns. Issue the film with a warning, by all means, but cutting it doesn't mean it doesn't exist or that it didn't happen. It doesn't alter a damn thing and only serves to propagate the myth that these were 'great' film directors whilst conveniently hiding their misdeeds from our sensitive eyes.
And please, don't think I condone animal cruelty, I don't.