Warning: Upsetting images

Mark Cuthbert convinced online sellers he would look after their pets (Picture: SWNS)

A sick thug has been jailed after he admitted buying cats online to use as bait while he trained his dogs to fight.

Online users thought their animals were going to a good home but really they suffered ‘long, tortuous deaths.’

Twisted Mark Cuthbert, 42, used online site Gumtree to purchase cats for his terrier dogs to maul.


He was snared after animal welfare officers were alerted to concerns that he was keeping dogs for animal fighting.

Mark Cuthbert’s dog Billy was forced into dog fights (Picture: SWNS)

The Scottish SPCA found horrific video footage of Cuthbert’s dogs killing badgers and domestic cats on a device at his house.



One video showed his three dogs attacking a cat in a field as it struggled for its life.

At Cuthbert’s home in Ayr, South Ayrshire, investigators also discovered tracking collars, nets, live animal traps, syringes, superglue and pet carriers.

DNA analysis of the items found that many were used for animal fighting.

Mark Cuthbert’s dogs savaged and killed animals, sold online by unwitting people thinking their animals were going to a good home (Picture: SWNS)

Cuthbert has now been jailed for ten months after admitting keeping dogs for the purpose of animal fighting and killing two cats.

He has also been given a ten-year ban on owning or keeping any animals.

An undercover officer with the Scottish SPCA said: ‘This is a truly horrific case of animal cruelty, where we suspect dozens of animals have suffered mentally and physically at the hands of Mark Cuthbert.

‘His inhumane treatment of animals is completely unacceptable.’

Mark Cuthbert bought pets online as well as using wild animals as bait for his dogs (Picture: Scottish SPCA)

They added: ‘We investigate reports of animal fights every week and the imagery and videos we discovered on his phone are some of the most depraved and upsetting we have seen.

‘One harrowing video shows the three dogs attacking a domestic cat in a field which is fighting for its life.

‘It’s clear the cat was caused horrendous suffering and many of the cats he purchased will have suffered long, torturous deaths.’

Cuthbert also used badgers as bait for his dogs (Picture: SWNS)

The Scottish SPCA said that Cuthbert used Gumtree and there was correspondence between him and cat owners who had listed their pets on the website.

The spokesperson added: ‘We believe large numbers of cats were uplifted from pet owners who trusted their cats were going to a good, safe home.’

Cuthbert’s own dogs – a black and white patterdale terrier, named Billy, and two brown bitch patterdale terriers called Digger and Tally – were also treated appallingly.

Mark Cuthbert’s dogs also had appalling fighting injuries (Picture: SWNS)

Officers found two of his dogs had very obvious facial injuries and scars to the face, nose and jaw.

Digger had a healed injury to the lower lip which had caused a v-shaped deformity while Billy was very aggressive when approached.

The Scottish SPCA added: ‘If you are using an online service to find a new home for, or sell, your pet, please be vigilant and ensure your pet is going to a safe environment.’

They added that if people were suspicious then they should contact the Scottish SPCA or the RSPCA.