Warning: Graphic image below.
A man has been sentenced to jail after failing to care for his two dogs who had "life-threatening injuries".
Jordayne Beaumont-Brown was today sentenced in the Christchurch District Court to one month imprisonment, disqualified from owning companion animals for two years, ordered to pay reparations of $2,000, and forfeit the ownership of his dog Bruiser.
According to the SPCA, Beaumont-Brown pleaded guilty to two charges in 2017.
A statement from the SPCA outlines both cases which led to the charges: "The first case began in August 2017 when the defendant took his dog Bella to the vet after she sustained an injury after fighting with another dog.
"She had a 2cm thick wound on the bridge of her nose, which was cleaned by the vet. X-rays were recommended, however, the defendant declined due to cost," the SPCA says.
"It was made clear by the veterinarian that there was an increased risk of infection due to the injury being sustained by a dog bite, and that Bella needed antibiotics.
"The defendant said he had antibiotics at home. A follow up appointment was made for three days later, but the defendant did not return.
"After receiving an animal welfare complaint some days later, SPCA Inspectors visited the property and found Bella. The wound on her nose was very smelly and infected, and large enough to poke two fingers into.
"The SPCA Inspectors took her in to their possession for urgent veterinary treatment.
"The vet drained Bella’s wound and closed it with sutures, and in SPCA’s care, she made a full recovery."
The second case against Beaumont-Brown came to light due to a Facebook post he made captioned “Time to stitch my dogs up”, with a photograph of Bruiser, a female Staffordshire terrier type dog that had injuries from pig hunting.
One of the comments posted by the defendant said, “I have a skin stapler, I just wash it out and staple them up.”
The SPCA once again outlined the case.
"SPCA Inspectors visited the defendant’s property and found Bruiser, who appeared lame on her right foreleg and was lethargic.
"Her whole body was covered in scars with a large red-looking scar on her right shoulder, and her coat was dull and patchy. The defendant confirmed that Bruiser had been injured a few weeks earlier and he had stapled her up, not seeking any veterinary care.
"Bruiser was taken into SPCA’s possession. She had multiple skin wounds in various stages of healing including wounds which were fresh and infected.
"The wounds that has been stapled were so deep they went down to the underlying muscle. They should have been treated under general anaesthetic then sutured shut, but instead the wounds were simply stapled shut by the defendant," the SPCA says.
Bruiser was treated by a vet and in two weeks, her wounds were healing well and her body condition score had risen to 5/9.
Bella was surrendered to the SPCA and adopted out to a loving family, while Bruiser is currently going through SPCA’s adoption process.
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