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To: Ministry of Justice

Review the lenient sentences handed down for the torture of Chunky the chihuahua

A 5 year ban on owning animals for the torture of an animal that is left for dead is unacceptably lenient. We request the urgent review of the sentences handed down in the case of the torture of Chunky the tiny chihuahua cross dog.

Why is this important?

The torture of animals is a serious crime. The perpetrators left Chunky for dead. They may, therefore have assumed they had killed the him. A five year ban from keeping animals and a £500 fine is too lenient a sentence for such a barbaric crime.

https://s.bsd.net/38degrees/main/page/-/CBY/Chunky-the-dog.jpg

Background to the case:
A tiny chihuahua cross called Chunky was stolen from his owners in Margate, Kent. The teenagers who stole him then tortured him for hours. He was left with multiple injuries that included a broken neck and leg, he was fed drugs and set fire to his face after spraying him with an aerosol can . He was then and left for dead at a rubbish dump. The RSPCA have stated this is one of the worst cases they seen.

The four perpetrators were sentenced to the following. Two of the gang were 15 and 16 at the time of the offence:

- Banned for keeping animals for five years.
- 12-month referral orders and ordered to pay costs with fines ranging from £500 to £1000, totalling £2,000.

Chunky survived and was returned to his owners. He's not the same dog he was before this hideous ordeal.

We call on the Ministry of Justice to urgently review the sentencing decision on this case.

How it will be delivered

Email.

Updates

2015-11-29 01:15:29 +0000

20,000 signatures reached

2015-11-28 23:31:49 +0000

Thank you to everyone who's taken the petition to almost 20,000 today! BBC News had an update today on Chunky's story.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-34952962

2015-11-28 18:38:17 +0000

Another Facebook Page by Chunky https://www.facebook.com/ChunkyTheSurvivor/info/?tab=page_info

2015-11-28 11:40:38 +0000

We've topped 18,000 signatures. Thank you to everyone who signed and shared.

There's now a Facebook page for the campaign. Please like and share the page so we can get the law changed for Chunky and so this doesn't happen again.

https://www.facebook.com/JusticeForChunkyTheDog/

2015-11-27 19:31:06 +0000

Thank you to everyone who has signed and shared. We've topped 15,000, which was a goal for today.

I received a reply from the Court Services in East Kent. They state the Judge was presented with the case on a "less serious basis" after the perpetrators pleaded guilty. Please write to the court to complain about the case: [email protected]. You can't lessen a violent crime against an animal.

How does this make a safer society if violent cases against an defenceless animal are lessened following a guilty plea?

2015-11-26 21:20:05 +0000

10,000 signatures reached

2015-11-26 12:27:04 +0000

5,000 signatures reached

2015-11-26 00:08:12 +0000

Thought lots of people would be pleased to see Chunky now.

https://www.facebook.com/meridiantonight/photos/a.122983467762734.17641.114379321956482/966584493402623/?type=3&theater

2015-11-25 20:59:18 +0000

1,000 signatures reached

2015-11-25 19:53:35 +0000

500 signatures reached

2015-11-25 18:01:08 +0000

100 signatures reached

2015-11-25 16:52:39 +0000

50 signatures reached

2015-11-25 14:37:34 +0000

25 signatures reached

2015-11-25 13:45:31 +0000

10 signatures reached