Willenhall man given lifetime ban after admitting to beating puppy
A man has been banned from owning animals for life after admitting to 'losing his temper' and beating his puppy.
Matthew Houghton, aged 30, of Lewis Close, Willenhall, pleaded guilty to an animal welfare offence following an investigation and prosecution by the RSPCA.
Officers from the animal welfare charity were called by police on April 11 to assist with a dog who was bleeding and had a head injury caused by a beating.
Ace, a six-month-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier, had been seized by police after reports that Houghton had allegedly beaten the puppy.
Ace was taken to see a vet at RSPCA Birmingham Animal Hospital, where he was found to have a cut to the top of his head, a laceration across the top of his left ear, a puncture wound to his cheek, grazing on his lower jaw, bleeding behind both of his eyes and a fractured canine tooth.
In their report, the vet who examined Ace said: "The term suffering in this case applies firstly to physical injury resulting in pain and discomfort. The force of trauma required to cause a fracture of the canine tooth as well as corneal ulceration and laceration of the ear is considerable.
"Secondly, the term suffering also applied to emotional and psychological distress imposed on this animal during this incident."
In mitigation, it was said he was remorseful and accepted he lost his temper. He said that he had struggled to train Ace and also claimed that he had been bitten by him.
The vet continued: "It is likely that as well as suffering acutely from emotional distress at the time of this incident, Ace may have also experienced feelings of fear and distress due to being in an unpredictable and potentially dangerous environment.
"A reasonable owner would not inflict pain on their animal and there is no justification for this incident meaning the suffering in this case is entirely unnecessary.”
Alongside the animal disqualification order, which he cannot appeal for 10 years, he was also sentenced to a 24-month community order with 150 hours unpaid work, and 30 day rehabilitation activity requirement days.
He must also pay £464.
RSPCA Inspector Jack Alderson, who investigated for the charity, said: “Animals feel pain, fear and distress, just as we do, and deserve to always be safe from harm. It’s never acceptable to subject an animal to violent treatment or cause an animal harm in this way.”
Ace has since been signed over into the care of the RSPCA and has since been rehomed.