A 32-year-old man from Broken Hill has been sentenced to nine months in prison for kicking a dog to death last October. The incident involved a Staffordshire terrier named Olaf, which the man was supposed to be looking after temporarily.
The RSPCA and a council ranger responded to a cruelty complaint and found the deceased dog in the back of a vehicle. The man confessed to kicking the dog, claiming it had a seizure and died soon after, and admitted he did not seek veterinary care.
A post-mortem examination determined the cause of death was cardiac muscle haemorrhages leading to cardiac infarct and cardiac arrest. It was unclear whether the haemorrhages resulted from the physical trauma of the kicks or extreme stress from being kicked repeatedly.
Broken Hill Police Acting Inspector Matt McCarthy described the actions as uncommon, stating it is not a trend. Magistrate Jacqueline Trad ruled that a full-time custodial sentence was appropriate.
In addition to the jail term, the man was disqualified from owning any animal for 10 years and ordered to pay $498 in costs to RSPCA NSW.
