REVOLTING CASE

Southland Times, Issue 20002, 16 October 1926, Page 7

REVOLTING CASE

CRUELTY TO DOGS FIVE LOCKED IN SMALL SHED TWO HAVE TO BE SHOT (Per United Press Aanciation.) Auckland, October 15. “Hie community is not going to put up with you being so wretchedly cruel to animals like this, so that you can make money out of them. Hail you been in a better position I would have inflicted a much more severe penalty,” said Mr E. C. Cutten, S.M., at the Police Court, to Richard Shaw, charged with permitting unnecessary suffering to five dogs. Shaw, who was not represented by counsel, pleaded not guilty. Constable Allan said that as a result of a complaint he found five young Airedale dogs confined in a tin shed 10 feet by 10 feet. Together with Constable du Temple he forced the door open. Two of the animals were in a shocking condition with sores on their legs and body. So bad were they that an inspector for the Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals had to shoot both. One dog was so weak that it could not stand up and the inspector had to prop it against a wall to shoot it. The shed was in a filthy condition and showed it had not been cleaned out for some time. There were several jHeees of fatly meat on the floor which had been thrown to the animals by some neighbours. Half a kerosene tin of water was on the floor of the shed, but it was so stale as to be unfit for the animals to drink. One of the five dogs was chained to the wall while another dog had a piece torn out under its neck, indicating it had been attacked by one of the others. There was no proper ventilation in the shed, which stank. The other three dogs were in a fair condition, two having been sold recently. Inspector of the Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, who was present with the two constables, gave similar evidence. In a statement given to Constable Allan, defendant stated that as he could not keep the dogs on his property he hired a shed to house them. He fed them at 6.30 every morning and also at night time. Every evening he took them for a run in the Western Park, and had them out the night before the police visited the place and destroyed two of the dogs. Shaw considered the shed was quite all right. He cleaned it out three times a week and looked after them well. They must have fought amongst themselves. Alfred William Warren said he lived near where the dogs were confined in the shed. For a week prior to Septemlier 10 witness could not obtain any sleep owing to the dogs fighting, howling and barking. “The dogs were so bad that I think they had been eating each other for sustenance,” he said in evidence. Shaw said he could not have given more attention to his animals, which were valuable dogs. One dog, a stud dog, was kept chained to the wall. It could not attack the others, but if they went near, it might have done so.

The Magistrate, in imposing a fine of £5, plus £2 2/6, in default one month’s imprisonment, made use of the remarks quoted above.