North Yorkshire dog owner caught on camera kicking pet - banned from keeping animals for 10 years
The dog owner from Richmond was prosecuted by the RSPCA
A dog owner from Richmond in North Yorkshire has been banned from keeping animals for 10 years after being caught on camera kicking and punching their Rottweiler.
It follows a prosecution by the RSPCA.
Kerry Birmingham of Coronation Place, Richmond, North Yorkshire. pleaded guilty to four offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and appeared at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court for sentencing on April 9th.
As well as the disqualification the 58-year-old was fined £200 and ordered to pay costs of £1080 and a victim surcharge of £80.
The court was told that Birmingham’s abuse of the four-year-old dog called Sasha was caught on CCTV and mobile phone footage, which showed the defendant kicking and punching the canine on three separate occasions, twice in a public house in Richmond and at another location in the town.
Sasha did not receive any injuries as a result of the physical abuse, but a vet said the body language of the dog and the physical force which could be seen on the film indicated she would have suffered pain and fear from the defendant’s actions.
RSPCA Inspector Clare Wilson launched an investigation after evidence of the abuse emerged in four video clips, which resulted in the police seizing Sasha on August 23, 2023.
An expert vet said:
“The video footage provides good evidence of the Rottweiler being physically abused on at least three separate occasions.”
The court was told that mitigating circumstances for Birmingham included alcohol and mental health problems.
Sasha (pictured) was signed over into the care of the RSPCA and she has since been rehomed by the animal charity.
Speaking after the sentencing, Inspector Wilson said:
“It was sickening to view the repeated violence towards Sasha and thankfully she suffered no long-term damage. I would urge anyone witnessing violence towards animals to report it immediately to the RSPCA or the police.”