CONVICTED (2018) | Shad’a McQueen aka Santana Montero D’Sanchez, born November 1984, at the time of Tennison Road, South Norwood, Croydon SE25 but more recently (2023) of Britton Street, Gillingham, Kent ME7 9EW – brutally stabbed a dog before cutting her throat.
Shad’a McQueen pleaded guilty to stabbing the Old English Bulldog and causing the pet unnecessary suffering.
After a night of heavy drinking, McQueen returned alone to her flat and attacked the unnamed female dog. She stabbed her multiple times before cutting her throat with a knife.
McQueen then called the police, who found the badly injured dog still clinging to life.
The dog was rushed to a vet’s where she had to be put down humanely as she had no chance of surviving her appalling wounds.
Defending McQueen, Stephanie Panchkowry said: “This is a very sad case. It is a very severe incident that happened.
“In the community she is known for looking after dogs very well.”
Ms Panchkowry said that there had been “alcohol misuse” that night, combined with mental health issues including depression.McQueen accepted her guilt and was sentenced for causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
District Judge Susan Holden said: “This is a deeply distressing case. It’s clear that your dog must have suffered unnecessarily.”
McQueen still shares a dog with her ex-partner, who she will be allowed to visit. Her ban could also be lifted at some later date.
Sentencing: 16-week prison sentence suspended for 18 months. 60 hours of unpaid work. Disqualified from owning animals for an indefinite period.
Update | October 2023
McQueen, who is now calling herself Santana Montero D’Sanchez and living in Gillingham, Kent, was back in court after being found with another pet dog in breach of her indefinite ban.
Officers discovered the English bulldog, Remy, at Montero D’Sanchez’s house in Gillingham.
She’d owned the dog for two years.
Montero D’Sanchez admitted breaching a disqualification imposed after her conviction under the Animal Welfare Act.
Emily Wyles, prosecuting, said: “Officers attended the address and could hear a dog barking. The defendant came to a small window to talk to the officers who negotiated with her to let them in.
“Once inside she told them she’d had the dog. A little while and the brown and white bulldog was removed by police.
“She has eight convictions, including causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and was given a life-time ban. She slit the dog’s throat and stabbed it. She is in breach of that ban.”
Luke Mayer, defending, told the court his client had believed the order didn’t still stand as she had been given an 18-month suspended sentence at Croydon Magistrates’ Court and that paperwork she had been given at the time didn’t make it clear that she was in fact on a life-time ban.
He added: “It was a heinous crime in 2018. She suffers from bipolar.
“She doesn’t really remember the incident, she had profound mental health issues and loved that dog. She also had another dog called Gino who was seized and returned to her now ex-partner.
“It was not an act of cruelty, she suffered a profound mental episode and has been sectioned twice, lapses have happened.
“She had to move from London after it happened. There were no issues with Remy.
“Her suspended sentence order was over and she thought that was it.
“She knew Remy and it was a friend’s dog, but because they were having a baby, she ended up with the dog and she thought the order was over.
“She’d had him for two years and trained it and could walk him off the lead (he was trained so well), and all her neighbours knew him.
“What she did was five years ago and it was due to a severe mental episode.”
The court also heard Montero D’Sanchez’s mental state had deteriorated since the police had seized Remy and the dog had helped her keep her sane.
The bench also heard she was on a community order for another offence, but had only completed one rehabilitation session so far.
Magistrates decided to extend the community order she was on by six months so she could complete her rehabilitation sessions. It will now end in August 2024.
They also told her to work with probation and get all the help she needs.
The bench ordered Remy not be returned to her and that she pay £85 court costs.
