Beckenham woman sentenced for ‘wicked’ abuse of puppy
A 23-year-old Beckenham woman has been convicted of animal cruelty after subjecting a one-year-old puppy to repeated choking and beating in October last year. The Perth Magistrates Court handed down a suspended sentence of six months and 14 days on Thursday, conditionally suspended for 12 months with supervision and program requirements. She has also been banned from being in charge of an animal for five years.
Witness footage captures sustained attack
RSPCA WA and WA Police attended the woman’s property on the morning of October 13 after a witness reported hearing Roxy, a Staffy X Kelpie, yelping. The witness heard thumping sounds as the offender repeatedly hit the puppy, followed by yelping and screaming. Roxy was then seen in the backyard with a rope around her neck, tied to a carport pole. The witness filmed the abuse, capturing the offender standing over a “lifeless” Roxy, who struggled to breathe and made choking sounds. The woman then placed a second rope around Roxy’s neck, lifting her off the ground and suspending her by the neck as the dog tried to escape.
Offender’s motive and court findings
When interviewed by police, the offender said she wanted to get rid of Roxy because the puppy was “chewing up all my shit” and frustrating her. She was convicted under sections 19(1) and 19(2)(a) of the Animal Welfare Act 2002 for torturing, maliciously beating, abusing, and ill-treating the animal. Magistrate Michelle Harries accepted the RSPCA WA prosecutor’s description of the cruelty as “wicked”, “sustained”, and “inexplicable”. “The facts are in my view serious ... They are facts you should be very ashamed of,” Ms Harries said.
Roxy’s recovery and adoption
Roxy was seized by RSPCA WA inspectors on the morning of the offence. Veterinary examinations revealed bruising, swelling, bleeding in her right eye, and behaviour consistent with psychological harm. The puppy has since recovered and been adopted into a new home. RSPCA WA inspector manager Kylie Green called the case a shocking example of deliberate, sustained abuse. “It’s overwhelming to think of the terror and pain Roxy experienced over an extended period of time that morning,” she said. “One-year-old dogs, especially those who aren’t given the time and patience needed for effective training, and the love and attention required to stop them from becoming bored, will naturally chew items left lying around. To use that as a justification for torturing an animal — because that’s exactly what this offender did — defies all logic and reason.” The maximum penalty for animal cruelty is a $50,000 fine and five years in prison. The RSPCA urges reporting suspected cruelty to 1300 278 358 or online at rspcawa.org.au.
