Man in court for hunting with dogs and treating injuries himself

A man has been handed a suspended prison sentence and disqualified from keeping dogs after using his terriers to hunt wildlife and treating their injuries at home himself.

Peter Bewsher (DoB: 16 July 1989) of Greendykes, Egremont, Cumbria, was in court on Tuesday (6 November) after three dogs were rescued by the RSPCA as part of an investigation into wildlife offences.

Brown Patterdale terrier Cholo had 'severe' facial injuries including a degloved lower jaw. Part of his nose was also missing. A red-coloured Patterdale named 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.

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 into wildlife crimes. 

The charity's Special Operations Unit launched an investigation - called Operation Mint - after receiving intelligence from the Naturewatch Foundation.

Bewsher admitted that the dogs had been working 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. Bewsher signed over all three dogs and they all went to RSPCA rescue centres to find new homes.

He was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison in court and suspended for two years. He was ordered to pay costs of £5,226, a £154 victim surcharge and disqualified from keeping dogs for two years.

He previously pleaded guilty to three offences of causing unnecessary suffering to his dogs* for failing to get veterinary treatment for their injuries.

RSPCA Chief Inspector Ian Muttitt, from the Special Operations Unit, said after the sentencing: "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 needed veterinary care for such significant injuries and treating them at home with DIY methods wasn't suitable."