The case of a dog named Chunky which was tortured by teenagers in Margate will be discussed by ministers this week, after it sparked international outrage.

North Thanet MP Sir Roger Gale is set to raise it in Parliament after a petition calling for tougher laws on animal abuse was signed by more than 350,000 people.

The Chihuahua cross was stolen from his owners' garden before being set on fire, drugged, tortured and beaten so hard, it broke his neck and his leg.

The culprits abused him for several hours before dumping him a day later at a rubbish tip in Manston Road.

Miraculously, the tiny dog survived his ordeal after being found the following evening by a passerby, and has now been returned to his owner.

The RSPCA inspector in charge of the investigation said it was one of the most disturbing cases of abuse they had ever seen.

The youths, who cannot be named for legal reasons, stole the months old puppy on February 23.

The four pleaded guilty in October to cruelly ill-treating the animal and were all disqualified from keeping all animals for five years, given a referral order for 12 months and ordered to pay costs.

One of the youths was made to pay £1,000 and the other two £500.

A fourth boy, aged 16 at the time of the offence, pleaded guilty to the same offences under the Animal Welfare Act, at a trial at Folkestone Youth Court last Tuesday.

He was also disqualified from keeping animals for five years and given a referral order for 12 months. His father was made to pay costs of £5,800.

Another petition set up by Margate campaigner Louise Oldfield has gained more than 20,000 signatures and calls the sentence “unacceptably lenient” requesting an “urgent review” of the case.

Police have issued a warning about threatening behaviour after a strong public reaction.

A 25-year-old man from Ramsgate was issued with an £90 fixed penalty notice for malicious communications.

A police spokesman said: “Kent Police are aware that people are upset.

“Although the story is distressing, we would remind people that making direct threats towards others in reaction, either via the phone or on social media and websites, can be considered an offence.”

The petitions can be found here and here.