Birkenhead Couple Jailed for Animal Cruelty

A Birkenhead couple have been jailed for cruelty towards their dogs.

The body of American bulldog Luna was found dumped in a back alleyway after her owners attacked her in the garden of their Parkside Avenue home.

An RSPCA investigation led back to Luna's owners, Leila Horvath and Norbert Farkas, who appeared at Wirral Magistrates' Court yesterday (Tuesday, 13th August 2019).

The couple admitted eight charges under section 4 of the Animal Welfare Act 2008.

They were each given an immediate 10-week prison sentence and a lifetime ban on keeping animals.

Magistrates heard that Luna had suffered a "slow death" after Horvath and Farkas beat her with a metal bar, poisoned her with antifreeze and stabbed her in the neck.

RSPCA inspector Anthony Joynes said: "Farkas said that Luna had 'gone for' his foot and that although there was no injury, it hurt and he felt fear for his and his partner's life. He described using a metal weightlifting bar to forcefully strike Luna two to three times on the head.

"Farkas stated that Luna had been alive in the garden for around an hour. Horvarth admitted that she had then gone outside and given Luna antifreeze in sausages."

The court heard that Luna, who had recently given birth to a litter of 12 puppies, became very protective of them and difficult to manage. Horvath used the internet to research the cost of having Luna put to sleep humanely by a vet, but he decided it would be cheaper to poison her instead.

Luna lay in the garden for at least three days suffering from the effects of antifreeze poisoning, before she was finally stabbed to death.

"It is absolutely horrific to think what Luna went through. Luna was caused suffering on multiple levels over several days, which was unnecessary and cruel," Inspector Joynes said.

"Horvath and Farkas knew Luna could have been put to sleep humanely by a vet but evidence shows that she was killed in her own way over a period of several days, leaving her to suffer greatly."

A male American bulldog and 12 puppies were seized from the Parkside Avenue property by police while the investigation was carried out.

Vet examinations of the puppies showed that they were suffering from respiratory illnesses.

All 12 puppies have now been rehomed. The male dog is now in RSPCA care and will be up for rehoming soon.

A truly horrendous case of the worst possible animal cruelty, which undoubtedly surpassed the custody threshold.

But only 10 weeks? There must be some logic behind that decision, but it is not immediately obvious from media reports.