CRUELTY TO A DOG

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21248, 30 July 1932, Page 12

CRUELTY TO A DOG

INCIDENT AT SWANSON FARMER CONVICTED "I cannot agree that it was a proper way to treat a dog," said Mr. W. 11. McKean, S.M., in tho Police Court yesterday, when George Edward Plane, farmer, was charged with cruelly ill-treating a dog by striking it on the head and thereby causing it unnecessary suffering. Mr. J. J. Ilollinjjworth, inspector v for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said ho received a complaint that a cattle dog had been injured at Swanson. When ho arrived, the dog was dead, and ho came to the conclusion that death was due to haemorrhage. Ho interviewed accused, who said ho had hit the dog on tho head with a stick to take it out of a rabbit-trap, as the dog was too savage to release it otherwise. Accused had said he had dono what ho considered the best thing under the circumstances by stunning (lie dog whilo he took tho trap from its foot. A veterinary surgeon, F. L. Norrics, who examined the dog, and soveral other witnesses, said they saw no marks of the dog having had its foot in a trap. Accused, who said he had bepn ranger to the Whnngarei Acclimatisation Society, repeated the statement ho had rnado to the inspector, afid denied cruelty. A fine of £2 10s and costs was imposed.