animal fighting / baiting, badger baiting, deer, Dogs, foxes, hunting with dogs, Multiple Species, Organised Animal Crime, Serial Animal Abusers, Wildlife Crime / Bloodsports

Lochgelly, Fife: Martin Davidson

October 4, 2020 misanthropic 5 Comments

CONVICTED (2020) | Martin Davidson, born 12/10/1995, of 23 Abbotsford Road, Lochore, Lochgelly KY5 8DT- trained four dogs to violently bait wild animals including badgers; failed to treat his dogs’ fighting injuries

Martin Davidson social media image — Martin Davidson

Davidson kept videos of his dogs viciously attacking foxes and sickeningly posed for pictures with the injured or dead animals.

The father-of-two trained his dogs for animal fighting including badger baiting.

Dog with horrific facial scarring — Davidson failed to take any of his dogs for veterinary treatment for their horrific facial injuries

He pleaded guilty to the charge along with failing to provide veterinary treatment to an injured dog in his care.

Davidson was investigated by the Scottish SPCA after the charity received intelligence about his behaviour.

Three of the dogs involved in the case were male, brindle coloured bull lurchers named Tramp, Mojo and Sid. The other was a female, white and tan, Staffordshire bull terrier named Lady.

The dogs were found injured as a result of the hunting and are now in the care of the SSPCA where they will be rehabilitated.

Shameless Davidson regularly uploads images of shocking animal cruelty to social media

An SSPCA special investigations unit undercover inspector, who cannot be named, said: “We received intelligence that Davidson was keeping and training dogs for the purposes of animal fighting.

“We obtained a search warrant and gained entry to the home of Davidson where we found the four dogs.

One of the dogs rescued from a life of pain and misery at the hands of monstrous Martin Davidson

“The Staffordshire bull terrier, Lady, was in the house. She had significant scarring to her muzzle and lower jaw. These injuries are consistent with animal fighting, in particular badger baiting.

“The three lurchers were found outdoors in a kennel and run in the rear garden, far too small for their size and breed. Two had obvious, fresh injuries to their ears and heads.

“We also found animal fighting paraphernalia at Davidson’s residence.

Social media post claiming it's — “It’s all lies!” Davidson’s foul-mouthed partner tries to convince people (maybe even herself) that he’s just misunderstood

“This included hunting gear, blood-stained wellies and a spot lamp commonly using for lamping with dogs, which is hunting at night.

“Multiple images were discovered of his dogs pictured with dead animals at night. Some featured the dogs viciously gripping foxes between their jaws.

“During interview, Davidson admitted that the four dogs were not registered with a vet and did not receive any medication or treatment to ease their suffering from any of the injuries they had sustained

“Other photos showed Lady, Tramp, Mojo and Sid in the back of Davidson’s vehicle at night with fresh injuries. Our expert vets determined these were consistent with animal fighting, specifically with badgers and foxes.

“The disregard that Davidson had for the welfare of the wild animals he forced his dogs to fight, and for his own dogs, is unfathomable. The dogs are in our care and are currently receiving the rehabilitation they need.”

Image shows Davidson's dog biting a fox — One of the many sickening images of animal cruelty found on Davidson’s phone

Sheriff Alastair Brown told Davidson: “You kept dogs for fighting and you kept them in conditions which were unsuitable to the extent that you weren’t meeting their needs properly.

“It’s been well known, because it gets publicity, that hunting with dogs, which appears to have been the reason for getting these dogs, is illegal.

“Beyond that, it’s perfectly clear to anyone with a grain of sense that there is substantial public disapproval of hunting with dogs, of dog fighting and failing to take care of dogs within your care.

“What you were doing was entirely unregulated – keeping dogs for fighting is reprehensible as well as criminal, and keeping animals in conditions in which there are harmed is deplorable.”

However, Sheriff Brown stopped short of a prison sentence after hearing Davidson previously served jail time for another matter, adding it was “regrettable” that this case had not been heard at the same time.

Horrific ear injury suffered by one of Davidson's dogs

Davidson’s lawyer Alexander Flett of Martin Johnston & Socha solicitors in Dunfermline said his client had been dealt a “harsh lesson”, alluding to the fact that his previous court appearance had sparked “unwelcome attention” from animal rights activists.

Sara Shaw, head of the wildlife and environmental crime unit said: “Dog fighting is a cruel illegal activity which causes terrible and unnecessary suffering to animals.

“I welcome today’s sentence and the granting of the order preventing Martin Davidson from keeping any animal for five years.

“COPFS will continue to work to ensure those who participate in this barbaric practice are prosecuted and would encourage anyone who may have information on dog fighting to contact the police or the Scottish SPCA.”

Sentencing: 160 hours of unpaid work. Banned from keeping dogs for five years (expires October 2025).

The Courier

Update 17/10/2020:

Davidson was back in the dock where he pleaded guilty to possessing two air weapons at his home without holding a certificate for them.

The air guns were found during a raid by the Scottish SPCA in September 2019.

Sheriff James MacDonald imposed a community payback order with 60 hours of unpaid work.

Dogs, ear cropping and tail docking, Pet Profiteering, puppy farmers / traffickers, kennels, backyard breeders

Kirkby, Liverpool: John and Katie Drury

October 4, 2020 misanthropic 1 Comment

CONVICTED (2020) | backyard breeders John Drury, born 28 May 1981, and his wife Katie Drury, born 29 September 1983, both of 56 Quarryside Drive, Kirkby, Liverpool L33 6YA – illegally docked the tails of five puppies and left them to suffer in agony

Five puppies with docked tails were among 22 dogs discovered at the home of John and Katie Drury, who trade under the name Johnny Doberbulls. One dog could not stand or walk, and the docked tails of a further two pups had become infected and necrotic.

As well as the five puppies with docked tails, who were found in a box in the living room, an RSPCA inspector found a paralysed puppy whose legs had been tied together by the Drurys.

Clueless backyard breeders John and Katie Drury pictured leaving court

The couple had tied the dog’s legs together after internet research led them to mistakenly believe she was suffering from swimmers syndrome and this would help cure her. However, the puppy was suffering from a genetic condition and subsequently had to be put down.

Peter Mitchell, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, said: “The failure to investigate that matter by seeking veterinary attention had caused the puppy to suffer for approximately three weeks.”

John Drury admitted docking the tails of five puppies by tying string around their tails and waiting for the tissue to die from lack of blood flow. He also admitted failing to seek veterinary treatment.

He denied knowing that it was illegal to dock puppies’ tails for non-medical reasons, but Mr Mitchell said he had admitted to knowing it was against the law during his police interview, adding that Mr Drury had “in fact been operating as an unlicensed breeder”.

Brian O’Connor, defending the Drurys, described the couple as “dog lovers” who had decided to start a dog-breeding business two years ago.

He said: “They do love and care for the dogs, and the breeding aspect has probably disappeared but they would ask not to be disqualified or deprived of their animals.

“They have learned from their mistake and they have paid the penalty, they have been without [their dogs] for a year.”

But District Judge Andrew Shaw ordered the couple’s 22 dogs to be confiscated and disqualified them from owning or keeping dogs for 12 months.

The judge said he acknowledged that it was not the couple’s intention to be cruel and that they had shown remorse, but added: “The course of action you started was wrong.

“Having appreciated there was a problem you had an obligation to take them to the vet.”

Sentencing | John Drury: 10-week curfew. Katie Drury: 40 hours of unpaid work. Ordered to pay a total of £500 towards the prosecution’s costs and a victim surcharge of £85 each. Banned from owning dogs for just one year (expired October 2021).

Liverpool Echo

Dogs, Violent and Sadistic Pet Abusers

Raffles, Carlisle: Stuart Whelan

October 1, 2020 misanthropic 5 Comments

CONVICTED (2020) | Stuart P Whelan, born c. 1976, of Dalton Avenue, Raffles, Carlisle CA2 7DY – kicked a stranger’s Westie into the air

The unprovoked attack on the tiny dog was outlined to magistrates as they heard several disturbing accounts of how Whelan – who was out cycling with his own dog at the time – abused other dog walkers.

All regularly visit Chances Park, near Wigton Road, where Whelan cycles with his dog.

Whelan had denied two allegations of using threatening behaviour towards other dog owners and causing unnecessary suffering to the terrier. He was convicted after a trial.

The first offence was on May 8, 2020, as local woman Maxine Denby walked her dog in the park. “I heard a dog squealing,” she said.

She described seeing Whelan lift his own dog into the air over his head, and then ‘slam’ it on to the ground.

“The dog was crying and in a lot of distress,” she said, adding: “I was in shock.”

Fellow dog walker Tony Peacock corroborated Miss Denby’s account, describing how after verbally abusing Miss Denby Whelan repeatedly cycled past her at speed, with his own dog sitting in his bike’s front basket.

Four days later, dog walker Patricia Guanlett was enjoying a tea-time walk through the park with her two dogs, including her West Highland terrier Cara.

As she walked across the grass, Mrs Guanlett saw Whelan cycling along a path towards her, his dog running along beside him.

Her dogs ran towards him, prompting him to throw down his bike and start screaming at her, falsely claiming one of her dogs had bitten his dog, she said. Mrs Guanlett said: “He said if ‘I see that [her] dog again, it’s dead.”

As she was putting one of her dogs on a lead Whelan ran at her West Highland terrier, which was simply ‘toddling along’ and ‘booted’ her, the force of the blow lifting the dog 18 inches into the air.

“I was terrified he’d hit me,” said Mrs Guanlett, who immediately grabbed Cara to keep her safe. Her dog was shaking, she said.

Of Whelan, she said: “His demeanour was horrific: so hyper and so aggressive. It was really, really scary.”

Since the attack, Cara had been wary of strangers. After she left the park, Whelan briefly followed her, she said.

Judith Keir was also walking her dog in the park. She had previously reported Whelan to the police for his behaviour.

Mrs Keir said Whelan’s dog was not bitten, adding: “Mr Whelan took what I thought looked like a penalty kick, literally running up to Cara and booting her in the ribs. It was deliberate.

“Cara was nowhere near the other dog.”

Whelan denied throwing his dog to the ground or being aggressive.

Sentencing: 18 month community order, with 10-day rehabilitation activity requirement and completion of Probation Service Thinking Skills course. Restraining order, banning Whelan from Chances Park and from making any contact with the four people who testified against him. He was not banned from owning animals.

News and Star

UK Animal Cruelty Files

Monthly Archives: October 2020