A 24-year-old Yangebup man has been fined $5,000 and prohibited from owning an animal for three years for maliciously beating his partner's 5-month-old puppy. He was also ordered to pay a total of $2,477.77 in costs and reimbursements.
Fremantle Magistrates Court heard RSPCA WA received a recording in May this year, in which a puppy can be heard being beaten.
In the recording, the offender can be heard shouting and swearing at the crossbreed puppy named Sage for chewing something.
He yelled at Sage, "f*ck off, f*ck' and "you f*cking bitch, you are", "I'm going to f*cking…" following which Sage can be heard repetitively and loudly yelping and crying. The offender further yelled, "I don't give a f*ck, c*nt. Stop chewing shit up, you c*nt" and can be heard hitting Sage twice which made her yelp loudly.
More abusive shouting followed with Sage repetitively and loudly yelping and crying; a further five loud smacking noises can be heard and, on each blow, Sage repetitively and loudly yelping and crying out.
RSPCA WA inspectors went to the man's home the same day. The offender told them he was "just patting her and stuff and also telling her off".
He denied losing his temper with Sage but then admitted to smacking her and gripping her behind the neck to show her what she had done wrong. He claimed this was to "train" the puppy.
The puppy was seized by the inspectors and taken to Perth Vet Emergency where she was found to be suffering from thoracic spinal pain and bruising which were consistent with trauma.
After recovering in RSPCA WA's care, with the help of her foster carer, Sage was made available for adoption three weeks ago. She was adopted on Saturday.
In sentencing, Magistrate Nicholas Lemmon said, "This was a prolonged act of cruelty by multiple blows to a young animal …" And, regarding the sentencing, "I need to send a strong message to people generally."
RSPCA WA Inspector Manager Kylie Green said deliberate cruelty to an animal can never be excused.
"It doesn't matter how frustrated you are, to treat an animal the way Sage was treated is an offence and will be dealt with accordingly," she said. "There is zero community tolerance for this kind of behaviour, and the law reflects that which has been shown by today's outcome."
The offender was convicted under sections 19(1) and 19(2)(a) of the Animal Welfare Act 2002. The maximum penalty for a conviction 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 on 1300 CRUELTY (1300 278 358) or at rspcawa.org.au.
