Chihuahua left with broken ribs and tail after owner attack
DOLLY NOW HAS NEW FAMILY
A PET chihuahua was left with broken ribs, tail and foot in an horrific attack at the hands of her owner.
Three-year-old Rosie was subjected to the attack by Hull man Joshua Green and suffered multiple injuries, which left her struggling to walk and two claws ripped off, a court heard.
Green, 30, of Staveley Road, Hull, has now been banned from keeping animals for life after he pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to Rosie, when he appeared at Hull Magistrates’ Court on September 28.
Green told the vets that Rosie had soiled herself when he had taken her for a walk. So, he went to give her a bath and as he did she went limp and stopped breathing.
He claimed she sustained the injuries as he gave her mouth-tomouth resuscitation and held her upright around her rib cage.
He also said he squeezed her chest to try and give her CPR compressions before she started breathing again.
He claimed this caused the broken ribs and said teeth marks on her face were caused when he was trying to resuscitate her.
But, this was the third time Rosie had been presented to the vets in recent months. The vet was concerned that the injuries were non-accidental, so reported the matter to the RSPCA.
RSPCA inspector Alice Wilson visited the vets and could see Rosie was nervous and had obvious injuries.
She said: “Rosie appeared very timid and quiet. I could see she had a large swelling around her ribcage on one side. Her muzzle and nose area looked very swollen, and there were wounds to the top and side of her nose.
“She had a bald patch under her neck and the skin looked broken and sore in places. She was also not bearing weight on one of her front legs.”
Further examinations revealed Rosie’s injuries were much more extensive than first predicted.
Ms Wilson said: “A further detailed examination, including X-rays, revealed Rosie had broken ribs, a fractured tail, both dew claws had been ripped off, her front foot was severely damaged and had extensive bruising and swelling to her lips and muzzle.”
The court heard how Rosie had also been taken to the vet’s by Green just a month before on on December 18, 2019, with a paw fracture, which Green claimed had been caused by a door shutting on her.
A month later, she was taken again on January 13, 2020, with sores around her neck, which Green claimed was caused by a skin condition.
However, an independent veterinary expert dismissed the claims and told the court the injuries were all consistent with multiple episodes of blunt force trauma applied to various locations of the body on different dates. They also said the neck injuries could have been caused by a chemical. The expert said when Rosie was taken to the vet’s after she had supposedly been submerged in water her fur was dry.
In sentencing, the presiding magistrate said: “We consider it as absolutely horrific what you have put the dog through. Dogs cannot ask for help, they are completely dependent on their owners. This offence easily passes the custody threshold in our opinion.”
In mitigation the court was told Green had some mental health issues and was aggressive.
As well as the ban on keeping animals for life, Green was sentenced to 12 weeks in jail suspended for 12 months.
In addition, he was handed a four -month curfew between the hours of 8pm and 6am and must complete a 30 -day rehabilitation order. He was also ordered to pay £300 costs.
After recovering from her injuries, Rosie was rehomed by the RSPCA with a loving new family and was renamed Dolly and is said to be doing well.