THE Greenock Telegraph today launches a campaign to change the law in the wake of our shocking revelation that the Pets’ Corner slaughter suspect will never face justice.

News that a time bar loophole in animal welfare legislation prevents the accused man ever being prosecuted has sparked a wave of public outrage across Inverclyde.

This Tele is today responding with our Justice For Pets campaign as we issue a rallying cry for our army of readers to join us and take the battle all the way to Holyrood.

A key part of the initiative will be an online and paper petition as we aim to deliver thousands of signatures to Scotland’s Justice Secretary Michael Matheson.

The Telegraph has already secured the full support of Inverclyde Council and a number of prominent local politicians.

MSPs Stuart McMillan and Duncan McNeil have said they will back the campaign by writing to Mr Matheson asking him to ‘investigate’ the law as it currently stands.

We told a week ago how the man believed to have brutally bludgeoned defenceless animals with a golf club in 2011, while his dog crushed others to death between its jaws, will never be hauled into court — despite DNA evidence linking him directly to the carnage at the Gourock petting zoo.

The Crown Office says that the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act of 2006 prevents people accused of such barbaric offences from being pursued after a specific length of time has elapsed.

The Telegraph — with your help — aims to change that.

Gourock independent councillor Ronnie Ahlfeld, along with the town’s SNP counillor Chris McEleny, wrote a series of letters to senior prosecutors seeking clarity after we told eight months ago how police had arrested an 18-year-old over the savage killing spree.

The Crown Office — which previously refused to comment on the matter — finally confirmed the time bar information seven days ago.

Cllr Ahlfeld — who branded the Pets’ Corner onslaught as ‘pure evil’ — said today: “I am fully supportive of the Telegraph campaign for this legislation to be revised.

“The utter carnage I witnessed on that morning will live with me for a long time.

“People were outraged at these barbaric acts on defenceless animals — the savagery had to be seen to be believed.” He added: “It is inconceivable that, having identified a suspect that the full processes of the law cannot be enforced.

“Let no one be under any misapprehension — this was an act of pure evil.” Cllr McEleny said: “I wholeheartedly support the campaign of the Greenock Telegraph.

“Over the past few years people have been kept in the dark and if it wasn’t for the coverage the paper gave to the attempts by Cllr Ahlfeld and I made in pressing for answers perhaps we would still be in the dark.” He added: “The worrying thing that people are highlighting to me is, what else is someone who carried out such a horrible act capable of?

“Therefore any campaign that aims to stop people escaping justice has my backing and I’m sure the many, many people who were appalled by this crime will back it too.” Communities committee chairman Cllr Terry Loughran today confirmed the council’s support for the Telegraph’s campaign.

He said: “I think what happened down here was something that was resprehensible and it was something that enraged and outraged the community.

“The fact that prosecutions couldn’t be progressed by virtue of the fact that there is a time bar in the legislation would suggest that the legislation is flawed and needs to be changed.

“People expect certain standards in society and if you can prosecute individuals when time barring is not an issue and do cold cases for crimes that were committed against people in the past, then why can’t we do the same thing for people who show such brazen abuse of animals?

“I think what happened at the petting zoo down in Gourock was an outrage to the community and an outrage to Inverclyde.” Cllr Loughran added: “Absolutely as a council we would support any moves that would encourage changes and a review of the legislation that would make people accountable for the actions that they have taken.

“More power to the Tele’s elbow!” Greenock-based SNP MSP Stuart McMillan told how he has already written to justice chief and party colleague Mr Matheson after being approached by the Telegraph.

Mr McMillan said: “Like everyone else I am disgusted at what has transpired at the Pets’ Corner.

“I am disappointed and angry that legal proceedings couldn’t continue with regards to this case.

“I have already written to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice to highlight the matter, voice my concerns and ask him to investigate what has happened.” Inverclyde’s Labour MSP Duncan McNeil said: “It is clear that there is a gap in the law if we are unable to bring to justice the person who committed this despicable crime against defenceless animals.

“I will raise the matter with the Cabinet Secretary for Justice at the earliest opportunity with the view of addressing this anomaly.”