A 19-year-old Carey Park man has been charged with animal cruelty after allegedly attacking and beating his 10-week-old puppy on two separate occasions in March.
On 10 March the accused was observed on the estuary jetty on Blair Street in Bunbury punching the tan coloured puppy in the head before kicking him in the rib and hip area and throwing the puppy into the air and along the jetty.
A witness says they heard the puppy yelp and cry out.
On 15 March, the accused was observed at a Bunbury bus station kicking the puppy before dragging him from under a bench by the leg and riding off on his bicycle, holding the puppy in the air by the neck. Witness reports again noted the puppy was yelping and crying during the alleged incident.
The puppy was later seized and taken to a local vet who found he had a soft tissue injury to one of his rear legs. A subsequent examination by RSPCA WA vets found the puppy was experiencing pain in his spine, abdomen, and back legs and that his injuries were consistent with physical trauma.
The puppy continues to recover in foster care.
The accused has been charged under sections 19(1) and 19(2)(a) of the Animal Welfare Act 2002. RSPCA WA will allege the accused was cruel to an animal in that he maliciously beat the puppy.
The charges will be heard in Bunbury Magistrates Court on 28 August 2023.
The maximum penalty for a charge of animal cruelty is a $50,000 fine and five years in prison.
The RSPCA relies on the community to report incidents of suspected cruelty and neglect. Report cruelty 24/7 on 1300 CRUELTY (1300 278 358) or at rspcawa.org.au
