Terrier dogs with horrific injuries from wildlife hunts to be rehomed

THREE terrier dogs which suffered horrific facial injuries after being used by their owner to hunt wildlife are being rehomed, the RSPCA has said.  

Peter Bewsher, 35, failed to seek veterinary treatment for the Patterdale Terrier dogs, which were seized and found to have ‘significant’ injuries including missing teeth and wounds to the jaw.

He was handed a two-year suspended sentence order and was banned from keeping dogs for two years at Workington Magistrates’ Court last week.

Bewsher, of Greendykes, Egremont, had previously pleaded guilty to three charges of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.

One of the Patterdale Terriers was missing the whole of its lower jaw (Image: RSPCA)

The RSPCA has since said that the three dogs were rescued as part of an investigation into wildlife offences. Bewsher signed over the dogs and they all went to RSPCA rescue centres to find new homes.

Brown Patterdale terrier Cholo had ‘severe’ facial injuries including a degloved lower jaw. Part of his nose was also missing.

Red-coloured Patterdale Kessler was timid and had wounds to her muzzle and face.

Black Patterdale Haggler had ‘significant injuries’ to his lower jaw, as well as a mix of fresh and historic wounds.

The injuries were sustained from the dogs 'flushing out' foxes from underground (Image: RSPCA)

Two warrants were executed by Cumbria Police in February 2024 at a property in Egremont as well as an allotment nearby as part of an RSPCA-led investigation.

The charity’s special operations unit launched an investigation - called Operation Mint - after receiving intelligence from Naturewatch Foundation.

Bewsher admitted the dogs had been worked a few days earlier to hunt foxes and he claimed that it had been ‘lawful’.

He told officers he’d got Chollo a few years earlier and he already had facial injuries, and that he acquired new injuries a few days earlier.

Bewsher also told officers that Kessler’s injuries had come from hunting rats and that Haggler had been used to hunt foxes a few days before.

He described the dogs as ‘hard’ and admitted they’d never been to the vet and he treated their injuries himself at home.

The dogs were examined by a vet and were found to have 'significant' injuries (Image: RSPCA)

During the court hearing, defence solicitor Clive Rees said Bewsher had been brought up with terriers and had ‘self-treated all his life’.

Mr Rees said Bewsher was ‘carrying out legal acts’ but had failed to seek treatment afterwards. He no longer had any interest in field sports and had given up his firearms and firearms licence.

Speaking after Bewsher’s sentencing, RSPCA chief inspector Ian Muttitt, from the special operations unit, said: “Chollo had horrific injuries which had been left untreated while Kessler and Haggler had numerous wounds, some of which were old and some which were new.

“You could see all of the raw flesh of Chollo’s lower jaw and the tip of his nose was missing. He clearly needed veterinary care for such significant injuries and treating them at home with DIY methods simply was suitable.”