A 43-YEAR-OLD man who shot his dog four times after hitting it with a saucepan has been given four months in jail for causing "incredible cruelty" to his pet.

In May last year, Gary Childe, of Worth Crescent, Stourport-on-Severn, got home from the pub to find his pet Weimaraner dog having a fit in the back garden.

The pet, which he had owned for 11 years, had previous medical problems and was on medication steroids but the problem with its health had recurred.

Childe claimed he was trying to put the dog "out of its misery" when he hit it twice with a saucepan. When that did not work, he shot it four times with a .22 calibre air rifle, owned by his partner's father.

The dog was put to sleep at Charnock Shepherd veterinary practice after Childe told a vet it had been attacked by his other dog while it was having a fit, magistrates were told.

When his partner found a saucepan dented and with blood on it she became suspicious and confronted Childe, who later admitted what he had done.

Nick Sutton, prosecuting, said: "It seems he did not want the trouble and expense of taking the animal to the vet. What he told the vet was a cock-and-bull story."

David Howarth, defending, said: "Mr Childe just could not cope with the dog having a fitt and shaking.

"How he did it was clearly wrong but he is a man who felt very dearly for his dog."

Magistrates described his act as "incredible cruelty" and ordered a complete ban from keeping an animal for life.

Neil Tysall, inspector for the RSPCA, spoke after the hearing, saying: "I think the sentence sends a very clear message that deliberate acts of cruelty to animals will be dealt with very severely by the court."