A pet owner has been heavily fined for animal cruelty after authorities rejected his bizarre claims about his dog’s open wounds, including that it turned ‘into a zombie and started eating himself’.
The 27-year-old man from Usher, south of Bunbury in Western Australia, was found guilty in Bunbury Magistrates Court on September 19 of cruelty to his male American Staffordshire bull terrier called Blaze.
RSPCA WA inspectors attended the man’s property in April in response to reports the canine was suffering ‘substantial open wounds to his back, neck, shoulders and head’.
In a statement, RSPCA WA said the man gave ‘contradictory and confusing accounts’ when quizzed by an inspector about how the dog was injured.
‘Among the possible reasons for his injuries, the offender suggested he could have been in a dog fight, he could have nibbled at his fur, someone could have hit him, or he could have turned into a zombie and started eating himself,’ it said.
Officers took Blaze to an animal hospital where vets discovered wounds on his neck and back ‘consistent with third degree burns’ that were 10 to 14 days old.
A follow-up examination found his wounds were consistent with being injured in a dog fight, although the veterinarian could not rule out burns.
A wound was also found to be infected with debris underneath.
The 27-year-old man from Usher was found guilty in Bunbury Magistrates Court of cruelty to his male American Staffordshire bull terrier, Blaze (pictured)
Magistrate Stephen Butcher said the offender’s reasons for Blaze’s injuries were ‘internally inconsistent and implausible’, reported The West.
‘If it was not so serious it would be laughable that he thought Blaze turned into a zombie and started eating himself,’ he continued.
‘(It is) plain as the nose on my face that anyone can open their eyes and see the injuries which make the lies more implausible.’
RSPCA WA inspector manager Kylie Green said it was obvious the dog was in pain.
‘Blaze needed vet care for his infected wounds and it is blatant cruelty to have denied him that,’ she said.
Blaze has since recovered in the care of RSPCA WA and is looking for a new home.
The magistrate found that the man allowed Blaze to suffer harm which could have been alleviated by taking reasonable steps, such as seeing a vet.
In a statement, RSPCA WA said the man gave ‘contradictory and confusing accounts’ when quizzed by an inspector about how the dog’s injuries were sustained
The man was fined $5,000 and ordered to pay $1,089 in costs.
He was also banned from being in charge or owning animals for five years.
To report suspected incidences of animal cruelty or neglect, contact the RSPCA on 1300 CRUELTY (1300 278 358) or online.
