STAUNCH animal rights campaigners are to send a unique message to the First Minister ahead of Rangers’ clash against Hearts today.

Organisers from the Operation Frankish group are planning to fly a banner above Ibrox stadium urging Ms Sturgeon to take firmer action against animal abusers.

The group was set up by a Scottish dog owner after brothers Daniel and Andrew Frankish were filmed brutally torturing a bulldog named Baby in North Yorkshire.

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The brothers, from Redcar in Teeside, were seen on video laughing and shouting as the older sibling Andrew threw the helpless animal down stairs repeatedly, then stood on its head and chest.

One of the men is heard to be saying: "See if we can make it scream any more. We should throw it down the stairs by its ears." during the terrifying ordeal.

The dog was later put down after it lost the use of its back legs, and the pair were banned from keeping animals for life but avoided jail in March this year.

Campaigners are calling for harsher sentences for people who abuse animals, and are planning to campaign in Scotland for the first time today.

Last week they flew a banner above Manchester's Etihad stadium which read 'Hit The Net Not The Pet’, to the surprise of thousands of Manchester City and Chelsea fans.

Their message to Nicola Sturgeon will read "Sturgeon: All Bark, No Bite" and will be displayed on a banner attached to a small plane which is to soar over Ibrox minutes before kick off.

Campaign founder Steve, from Edinburgh, told the Evening Times he set up the group after being so horrified by the actions of the Frankish brothers.

He said: "We have tailored this message to Nicola Sturgeon because she has a wide stretch of influence, not just in Scotland.

"There are 56 SNP MPs in Westminster. It's a nation-wide issue which needs to be addressed and enshrined in law.

"We need to send a strong message to these perpetrators and say in a civilised society in 2016, we cannot tolerate these behaviours.

"If they are going to do these things they need to be punished appropriately.

"In the case of Andrew and Daniel [Frankish], their punishment was a home curfew, That is not just weak but completely ironic as what they did, they did in the house.

"It's the same here in Scotland.

"The only way Scotland differs from England and Wales is we have a maximum sentence of 52 weeks and not 26 weeks.

"It's slightly better but not much, [compared to] some other countries across the west where people can go to prison for up to five years for what they've done."

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The group is calling for Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP to use their "influence in a meaningful way and by setting an example for the British Government to follow."

Steve added: "We think its time Nicola Sturgeon stopped barking about her EU obsession and started biting over issues such as this."

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: "We take animal welfare very seriously and are concerned that the maximum penalties available for animal cruelty cases may be insufficient in the most serious cases.

"We have previously confirmed that we will review the offences and penalties available under animal welfare legislation.

"Currently the maximum penalty for an offence of animal cruelty in Scotland is 12 months imprisonment and/or a fine of £20,000."