8-week-old puppy beaten to death with rock
Tamworth, NSW (AU)Incident Date: Thursday, Jun 22, 2006
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: man
A puppy was killed when it was struck by a rock allegedly thrown by a man who assaulted the dog's owner only moments before with a wooden chair leg.
The eight-week-old Staffordshire bull terrier pup was rushed by police to a veterinary clinic suffering extensive injuries, where it was put on life support but due to its deteriorating condition had to be put down a short time later.
A man will appear in Tamworth Local Court next month charged with a string of offences including assault occasioning actual bodily harm, malicious damage and committing an act of cruelty upon an animal.
The 22-year-old was at a Warral Rd address in Tamworth shortly before midday on June 22 when he allegedly became involved in an argument with the 64-year-old occupant of the unit.
During the argument the man picked up a wooden chair leg inside the unit and allegedly threw it at the occupant, hitting him in the leg and causing a cut.
The man then allegedly picked up a rock and threw it at the puppy, which was following the occupant as he left the unit and jumped over a front fence to get away.
The occupant turned when he heard a noise behind him only to see the puppy slumped on the ground.
When police arrived at the unit shortly after they rushed the distressed animal to a nearby veterinary hospital where it was put on life support.
But, due to the puppy's injuries and severity of distress it was put down later that afternoon.
The man was arrested and taken to Tamworth Police Station where he was questioned and charged over the incident.
He was given conditional bail to appear at Tamworth Local Court on July 18.
Yesterday, RSPCA chief inspector David O'Shannessy was horrified to hear of the puppy's death and described the incident as senseless and barbaric.
He said despite whatever else was going on at the time the puppy had done nothing to warrant the attack and there was no excuse for this kind of behaviour.
"No innocent animal deserves such an unprovoked and violent act," Mr O'Shannessy said.
"The penalties for these acts of cruelty on an animal can result in the imprisonment of a person for two to five years if convicted or fines up to $22,000 under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
"It's a senseless and barbaric attack on an innocent References
|
