A West Midlands man has been jailed for stamping on the head of his terrified young dog.
Shahzeeb Shazad Khan, 25, of Hartlebury Road, Oldbury, admitted one charge of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal when he appeared at Birmingham Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, 9th December 2020.
Causing unnecessary suffering to an animal is an offence under section 4 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006. It is a summary only matter, which has a maximum penalty of 26 weeks' custody and/or an unlimited fine.
The charge relates to Khan's treatment of his 8-month-old Presa Canirio, named Rico, on Tuesday, 10th December 2019.
That morning Khan was captured on CCTV stamping on the head of Rico in the lift of an apartment building. The trembling dog, clearly terrified at the viciousness of Khan's attack, lost control of his bladder in shock at what had happened.
The footage was handed to West Midlands Police, which contacted the RSPCA.
RSPCA inspector Claire Davey, who led the investigation, said: "In the footage, a large brindle-coloured dog enters the lift followed closely behind by Mr Khan.
"The dog looks nervous and cowers in the corner of the lift before he launches a violent attack on him, kicking and stamping on his head twice.
"There is a puddle of urine on the floor of the lift that wasn't there before the attack. Poor Rico was so frightened that he wet himself.
"The man then attaches a lead to Rico's harness and yanks at him to move him to the other side of the lift. He scurries over to the doors and continues to cower on the ground.
"As the doors open, the dog scuttles out nervously before they disappear from the shot."
The police seized Rico from Khan and took him to the vet. Fortunately there were no physical injuries, despite the ferocity of Khan's attack. For the last year the dog has been in the temporary custody of the RSPCA.
Magistrates determined that Khan's offence was so serious that only a custodial sentence was appropriate.
He was sentenced to 8 weeks' custody and ordered to pay £123 victim surcharge.
Magistrates also made orders banning Khan from keeping animals for life and depriving him of ownership of Rico.
The RSPCA is now seeking a new, safe home for the lovable young dog.
In my house the dog is a much loved member of the family. He eats as well as we do; he sleeps as well as we do; he gets plenty of mental stimulation and exercise; and the second there's the merest hint he might be unwell he is straight down to the vets.
Crimes like this make me sick to the pit of my stomach. Brutal as Khan's attack on Rico was, it was fortunately very short and caused no lasting physical injuries. You get far worse - cases where people regularly and routinely torture animals for the sickest form of pleasure or entertainment - and the court is limited to 26 weeks' custody.
The maximum penalty available for these sorts of crimes is nowhere near sufficient. In my view, the worst animal welfare offenders should be handed custodial sentences measured in years, not just a few months.
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