CONVICTED (2017) | Wayne Waithe, born 14/12/1957, of 1 Woodside Cottages, Bracondale, Norwich NR1 2AY – drowned his dog in a river by wrapping her legs in a rucksack so she couldn’t swim to safety
Wayne Waithe’s Staffordshire bull terrier, Missy, was found by a member of the public drowned near Hellesdon Bridge, with her legs wrapped in a navy rucksack and her body swaddled in a dark green jacket. Her head was left exposed.
Paul Croker, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, said a veterinary post-mortem examination revealed the dog died from drowning.
“It was alive and breathing when put in the river,” he said.
“As it was bound up, it was unable to swim to safety.”
He said the dog, who was about five to seven years old, was found to have a number of tumours on her body, including a large one on her belly. Post mortem examination showed that the tumour was benign. She was suffering with overgrown claws and a number of other medical issues.
Mr Croker said inquiries led them to interview Wayne Waithe, who admitted he had a dog but said she had died.
Waithe then refused to be interviewed and became aggressive, asking officers to leave his property.
Mr Croker said the RSPCA considered the case as serious and asked that Waithe be banned from keeping pets in future.
“The RSPCA’s view is that this individual should not be trusted with animals,” he said.
Waithe admitted causing unnecessary suffering by drowning the dog on May 9, 2017.
Waithe claimed he thought Missy was dead when he put her into the water, but this was rejected by magistrates.
Chairman of the bench Jim Agnew said: “We think you deliberately drowned the dog because you did not want to pay for it to be put down.”
Waithe’s lawyer Andrew Cogan of Kings Lynn solicitors CCW told the court his client believed the dog had died.
“She was not in the best of health,” Cogan said.
“There were a number of hernias. He thought the dog had died peacefully in its sleep. He thought the dog was dead.
“He did not deliberately intend to cause suffering.”
Sentencing: six-week jail sentence, suspended for 12 months. Ordered to pay a total of £408. 10-year ban on keeping animals.