Worker left broken as dog killers sentenced
AN SPCA investigator injured her back, as well as her spirit, working on the case involving 33 slaughtered dogs; the culprits received community sentences.
Tony Campbell and Russell Mendoza were sentenced at the Auckland District Court yesterday on four counts of wilful illtreatment and one of reckless use of a firearm. The pair went on a shooting spree, killing 23 puppies and 10 adult dogs belonging to Rowan Hargreaves, at a rural property near Wellsford, north of Auckland, in January 2010.
The men each received sentences of six months’ home detention, 300 hours’ community work and were ordered to repay the SPCA $4775. They are still allowed to own dogs themselves.
Judge Mary-Beth Sharp encouraged the men to complete their community service at the SPCA, something its staff are apprehensive about.
A tearful former SPCA investigator, who worked on the case, has been following the trial. Vicki Border suffered slipped discs in her spine while exhuming the bodies of the dead dogs.
She had her back surgically repaired with titanium screws, and never returned to work ‘‘The dogs suffered, people suffered; it’s over, but I wouldn’t say I’m overly happy with the result.’’
The principal investigator who worked alongside her on the case, Sasha Keltie, quit after it.
SPCA Auckland executive director Bob Kerridge expressed his disgust at the offending outside court yesterday. ‘‘This was what can only be called a bloodthirsty, cruel and inhumane act to animals. I have never seen our inspectors as traumatised as the two who were on this case.’’
The SPCA was disappointed in the leniency of the sentences, he said. ‘‘The judge made it clear that the sentencing is there to send a message that animal cruelty is unacceptable, I don’t think this sentence sends that.’’
Most of the dogs were in cages when they were shot in a 25minute spree, mainly by Campbell.
The shootings were sparked by a dispute between Mr Hargreaves and Mendoza after accusations that one of his dogs had mauled and killed Mendoza’s fox terrier.
Mr Hargreaves lived with the dogs, which he called his ‘‘family’’. He had reluctantly agreed to the adult dogs being put down to keep the peace with his neighbours.
Others had tried to manage the issue of Mr Hargreaves’ many dogs, including contacting the Auckland Council, which ‘‘did little to nothing’’, the judge said.
Mendoza had ‘‘opened the door’’ to the killings, but it was Campbell who was intent on disposing of the dogs, Crown prosecutor Joshua Shaw said.
Judge Sharp recognised that Mendoza was remorseful, having suffered a marriage break-up, breakdown of his Wellsford business, and hate mail since news of his offending became public.
Mendoza’s involvement was ‘‘spur of the moment’’ as a gun was thrust into his hands. Being an animal lover, he regrets it, his lawyer Joe Koppens said.