The continuing trend of children and young men harming
animals is alarming and the system needs to be harsher on
people who ill-treat animals, Dunedin SPCA inspector
Stephanie Saunders says.
"This sort of behaviour is a serious indicator of people who
go on to harm more animals or humans in later life," she
said.
Jeffrey Robin Hurring (19) was convicted in the Dunedin
District Court yesterday of wilfully ill-treating an animal
causing death, after a Jack Russell dog was strangled, had
petrol poured down its throat and was hit over the head with
a shovel during a prolonged attack.
Children were present during the attack, which lasted for
more than half an hour. The SPCA was notified the next day by
a teacher, who said the children were distraught about the
incident.
Ms Saunders said the case was the most "horrific" she had
dealt with in her 24 years with the SPCA. She hoped Hurring
would receive a significant sentence that would act as a
deterrent to other people. "This trend is very concerning,"
she said.
The SPCA expressed disappointment last month at a four-month
jail term handed down to Auckland man Wayne Williams, who
repeatedly beat his fiancee's fox terrier with a metal pole,
then strangled it to death, luring the dog out from under a
deck during the attack so he could continue the beating.
The judge described the attack as "callous" and "deliberate",
but took into account Williams' guilty plea and his apparent
remorse.
At the time, SPCA general manager David Lloyd-Barker said
while he was happy Williams received a "significant" jail
term, he had hoped it would be much harsher.
Also in April, three 17-year-old youths were arrested after
they blew a sheep's jaw off with fireworks and attempted to
set the animal on fire at Mt Maunganui. They have denied
disorderly behaviour and wilful ill-treatment charges.
Ms Saunders said another disturbing aspect of the Dunedin
incident was that none of the parents or caregivers of the
children present had contacted the SPCA or police.
- debbie.porteous@odt.co.nz
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