Posted on stuff.co.nz 5/3/2019
A man who violently attacked his dog, smashing one of its leg in several places, has been jailed for 12 months.
Serrin MacPherson, 29, was sentenced in the Wairoa District Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to wilfully ill-treating his dog Rocka, then failing to get it treated.
Rocka was one of two dogs that attacked livestock on a property in Papakura on November 9, 2017.
MacPherson caught Rocka after the attack then violently punched and kicked him and slammed him to the ground repeatedly.
He broke the dog’s leg in several places
A witness heard the dog screaming in pain. Someone tried to intervene by shouting at MacPherson, but he didn’t respond and continued attacking the dog.
According to a summary of facts, MacPherson could tell he had broken Rocka’s right hind leg but he did not take him to a vet. This was despite being told to do so by others.
The next day MacPherson was visited by Auckland Council animal management officers. He gave them false information and said he had euthenised Rocka and buried him.
Later that day two animal management officers went back to the property. They found Rocka in MacPherson’s vehicle. He was in pain with an extremely swollen right hind leg.
MacPherson surrendered him to the officers. A veterinarian found Rocka’s femur had been “fractured into pieces” and he would have been in severe pain.
Due to the extent of his injuries Rocka was euthenised on November 11.
MacPherson later admitted attacking Rocka as punishment, and said he knew the leg was broken and that he failed to get veterinary treatment.
He pleaded guilty to one charge of failing to ensure an animal received treatment to alleviate pain and distress, and one charge of wilfully ill-treating an animal.
Judge Warren Cathcart sentenced MacPherson to 12 months jail, with leave to apply for home detention. He was also disqualified from owning an animal for six years and ordered to forfeit any animals he owned.
He was also ordered to pay reparation of $1780 for treatment and pathology costs.