Published on October 17, 2023
Man admits animal cruelty after giving puppy ‘traumatic injuries’
A man who beat a 12-week-old puppy and threw it against a wall has been sentenced to 100 hours of community work and nine months’ supervision.
Tredyn Michael Kohu, 22, had been seen beating the puppy, named Bandit, before throwing it against the wall at a residential property in Blenheim. Police had received an anonymous call about it on the evening of September 18.
About 10pm, police visited the address and found the puppy had blunt-force trauma injuries, including a bloodied eye with significant petechiae, or bleeding in the skin, a police summary of facts said.
Kohu was arrested but made no admission of abuse, the summary said.
Kohu later told police the injuries happened earlier that morning. He admitted making no attempt to provide veterinary treatment for the puppy.
The summary said the lack of treatment caused Bandit to suffer unnecessary pain.
The puppy was placed in the care of the SPCA.
An SPCA veterinary examination found the puppy had suffered a subconjunctival haemorrhage to its left eye (broken blood vessels in the white of the eye) and subcutaneous swelling that was painful for Bandit when touched, the summary said.
Kohu pleaded guilty to a charge of cruelty and mistreatment of the puppy and appeared at the Blenheim District Court on Monday for sentencing.
Seeking a term of imprisonment, police prosecutor Nick Cooke said cruelty to animals was often a red flag for the potential of “more violence towards people”.
“That is why the police are taking this so seriously,” he said.
Addressing Kohu, Judge Richard Russell said he agreed with the police’s stance and sentiments and said the court also took such offending seriously.
“You pleaded guilty to a charge of animal cruelty … an informant witnessed a puppy being beaten and thrown into a wall by you … the puppy suffered traumatic injuries,” Judge Russell told Kohu.
Kohu was sentenced to 100 hours of community work, nine months’ supervision, and was ordered to take courses designed to prevent further offending.
The puppy was to be re-homed by the SPCA.