October 2026

Animal abuser avoids prison

Pet dog Joey’s skull was fractured in several places. He suffered agonising blunt force injuries to his head, chest and abdomen.

A vet said the dog would have endured hours of pain, fear and distress before he died.

His owner, Lewis Petherick, was handed a pathetic 28-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

Petherick, 30, of Haverhill, Suffolk, claimed Joey had escaped and been hit by a car.

An expert vet concluded that the injuries were inconsistent with a road collision and that the collie-lurcher cross had suffered physical abuse.

Vets raised the alarm in October 2024 after suspecting Joey’s injuries had been inflicted.

The RSPCA investigated, and Petherick was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to the dog.

He was sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court on 23 October.

Petherick also admitted failing to provide Joey with a suitable diet or seek veterinary care for his underweight condition.

The court ordered him to complete 120 hours of unpaid work and pay £1,000 in costs. He was banned from keeping any animals until further order.