Almost half a million people have signed a petition calling for a national animal cruelty register after the “worst ever” case in Britain.

A law has been suggested in honour Chunky the dog, above, who was was set on fire by a gang of youths, who also broke his back.

In November, three teenagers were banned for keeping all animals for five years, given a referral order for 12 months and ordered to pay costs after being convicted of the offence.

Now a petition, signed by thousands, calls for an American-style register of those who abuse animals.



Maxine Berry, who started the Justice for Chunky petition, wrote: “As an animal lover, who once owned a dog just like Chunky, I found this story highly upsetting.

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"What shocked me is that these abusers and others like them will be able to own an animal again one day. There’s nothing to prevent them doing this again.



"I’m asking anyone who abuses animals, regardless of their age, be placed on an animal cruelty register, which would follow them for life.”



Chunky, a Chihuahua-cross, was stolen from his owner by the four kids who carried out the brutal torture before leaving him for dead.



Three of the teenagers, two aged 16 and one aged 15 at the time of the offence admitted to punching and kicking Chunky before breaking his leg and neck and setting fire to his face.



The group then fed him drugs and dumped him at a rubbish tip in Margate, Kent.

RSPCA inspector Caroline Doe said: “This was the most disturbing case I have ever dealt with – by an absolute mile.



"The whole thing sends shivers down my spine.

A law would see offenders placed on a cruelty register for life

"The defendants may have been young and confessed to being under the influence of drugs but the cruelty they inflicted on this poor dog was extreme, barbaric and inexcusable.



"It’s a miracle he survived. I will never forget how terrified and depressed he was when I first saw him."

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Maxine added: "In some states in the US they already have animal abuse registries. The UK needs to introduce a similar law.

"A five year ban is not sufficient, it is hard to implement in practice and why do we assume abusers attitudes will have changed after a few years?”

