By JOHN COLES

A THUG whose dog suffered 20 cigarette burns and seven broken ribs was jailed for just 21 days yesterday.

Tammy the terrier, owned by Robert Walker, 28, had to be put down. The case was heard on the day supporters of The Sun’s campaign to stamp out animal cruelty soared past 200,000.

An RSPCA boss told yesterday of the suffering of Walker’s pet dog — and said: “Hand on heart, it’s the worst I’ve seen.”

Burnt … with 20 cigarette stubs

The five-year-old Staffordshire terrier bitch had TWENTY burns caused by cigarettes being stubbed on her head; SEVEN broken ribs, one of which punctured a lung; TWO perforated ear drums; and all FOUR canine teeth knocked out. Finally, her back was found to be broken.

Tammy had been returned to jobless 28-year-old Walker only three months earlier after a judge overturned a previous ten-year ban on him keeping pets.

On that occasion, Walker had been found guilty of previous ill-treatment to the white and tan bitch.

Crushed … dog had seven broken ribs

A new charge that he tortured Tammy was thrown out yesterday by magistrates at Plymouth after a neighbour’s evidence was ruled inadmissible because of a legal loophole.

But Walker was convicted of causing unnecessary suffering by failing to call in a vet.

He was again banned from keeping pets for ten years.

“She had scabs all over her head and was really in a very poor way. She was very sad and could barely keep her head up.

“The left side of her rib cage was like a crackly sponge because there was air under her ribs.

“I am not impressed it has taken two prosecutions to get this man jailed. The ban on keeping pets should have been for life.”