24 June 2014

A Beaconsfield man who appeared in Fremantle Magistrates Court on Friday was found guilty of beating his dog. He was fined $5000 and prohibited from being in charge of any animal for a period of five years.

Clayton Richard Lawrence, 40, was the person in charge of a seven-year-old male Rottweiler, named 'Herpes' when RSPCA received a cruelty complaint about a dog which had been repeatedly kicked.

The complainant witnessed Lawrence kicking the dog on the corner of Cowling and Parmelia Streets, Parmelia on Monday August 26, 2013.

The witness confronted Lawrence about his actions but Lawrence began to shout profanities at Herpes and kicked and dragged the dog along the ground.

Lawrence walked off, leaving the dog laying on the ground; shaking and foaming at the mouth. The witness noticed that Lawrence was nowhere to be seen and drove Herpes to a local vet clinic for treatment.

Upon examination, the vet said the dog had several injuries including a very sensitive kidney and lower rib area, fractured ribs and breathing difficulties as a result of being kicked. The dog also had bruised and swollen hocks and elbows making it difficult for him to walk.

Lawrence was interviewed by an RSPCA inspector and he admitted he owned Herpes and, that at the time of the incident, he was annoyed with his girlfriend who he claimed had stolen things from him.

Rangers from the Cities of Fremantle and Kwinana attended the vet clinic and ascertained that Herpes was registered to Lawrence. The dog was then transferred to the pound. He was collected by Lawrence's mother and remains in her care.

"You simply cannot beat an animal because you are having a hard time in your personal life," Chief Inspector Amanda Swift said.

"There is absolutely no excuse for this kind of deliberate cruelty and those who we catch committing these deliberate acts of cruelty will find themselves at the wrong end of the law and can end up with a criminal conviction.

This year, the RSPCA has seen a 105% increase in deliberate cruelty, including dog beatings.

"We are encouraged that there are people who are prepared to take action when they see such incidents of deliberate cruelty. I would like to thank the witness in this case for their actions, not only in reporting the incident to RSPCA, but also for taking the dog to the nearest veterinary clinic.

We could not continue to prosecute these matters without help from the public. We are very grateful to the people who come forward and report these incidents and those who assist us by gathering evidence, it assists our investigations greatly" Chief Inspector Swift said.

Lawrence was ordered to pay $1000 in costs.