(February 2018) Maryland: Loose pit bull rips King Charles Cavalier Spaniel named Hank out of owner's arms and viciously mauls him

MARYLAND -- Hank, a handsome and lovable King Charles Cavalier Spaniel, 13 months old, was viciously attacked and mauled and nearly killed, by a uncontrolled pit bull mix dog, having been pulled out of Tony’s arms.

He was saved from bleeding to death by the hands of Tony pressing on the worst of the puncture wounds to stem the bleeding until reaching the emergency vet for surgery and repairs to the many punctures, including one in the lung, and broken rib.

The funds are needed to help pay for the enormous vet bills already incurred, with more to follow.  Hank is Jill and Tony’s, especially Tony, lovable pal.  He rides everywhere with them on a golf cart, saying hello to everyone with a wag and lick.  Please help them with these growing vet bills.

They are so grateful already for the outpouring of concern and caring from many who know them, and others who have just seen them smiling (Tony) and joyful wagging tail of Hank.  They wouldn’t do this request themselves, but we know the expense will be a burden on anyone, so we would hope all loving pet owners understand to give just a little.  Thank you to everyone in advance for all the support, prayers, and caring given to these devoted pet owners.

Update 1
I just want to thank everyone again for all the support given to Tony and Jill following the vicious attack on their beloved little pal, Hank. Thank you also for all the donations to go towards the large and climbing vet bill. Tony and Jill have been overwhelmed by everyone’s generosity.

Hank is doing better every day and has to be reminded that he has to continue to take it easy. He will be visiting the vet again later in the week to have his stitches removed. We will be giving another update after that visit. Thank you again on behalf of Tony and Jill and, of course, Hank.

Update 2
Hi, everyone. This is Hank. I’m doing so much better now thanks to my wonderful veterinarian in Eustis, FL. I, along with my mommy and daddy (Jill and Tony), want to thank everyone who donated toward my vet bills, and most especially, for all the prayers and support given for me and my dad and mom.

We are so overwhelmed from all everyone has done. Thanks again and see you around as I ride again in my golf cart with my dad, saying hello. (Mom rides with us sometimes)

Hank says thanks
Help spread the word!

GOFUNDME: Hank’s Veterinarian bills
Created February 26, 2018
Charles Wyckoff Jr
  Animals
  MILLERSVILLE, MD

New York: Pit bull attacks elderly man's dog. Police refuse to do anything even though New York has a dangerous dog law

NEW YORK --  It was 10 seconds of terror for a New Springville resident Sunday morning as the 71-year-old watched helplessly while his beloved dog was mauled by a pit bull.

"I was walking my dog, not far from my home," Arnold Roth said Monday as he recounted the incident involving his six-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Kasey.

Roth said he was near the corner of Merrymount and Shiloh streets around 9:30 a.m. when "I heard a dog barking and I saw a young lady who looked like a teenager with two dogs; one was a pit bull."

Roth said the young woman was across the street from him when one of her dogs broke free and darted toward him. "Before I knew it, the pit bull was all over my dog," he said.

The woman -- who was still holding onto her other dog's leash -- walked across the street and grabbed the pit bull by its leash, but the damage had been done.

"It was a crazy scene," Roth said.

"The whole thing lasted 10 seconds," he said, but Kasey was seriously injured.

"At first, I didn't see anything," Roth said of the injuries. When he returned home, he noticed that Kasey "was very sensitive in a couple areas when I was calming him," he said.

Roth immediately took Kasey to a veterinarian who recommended he go see a specialist. There, the dog required X-rays and underwent emergency surgery for punctures near its lungs.

The incident left Roth with medical expenses totaling almost $2,000.

The veterinarian who performed the procedure wasn't able to be reached for comment Monday, but an invoice from the hospital showed that Kasey underwent laceration surgery.

Roth said that he didn't know the young woman, and that he only began seeing her walking the dogs in the neighborhood a few weeks ago.

"It's disgusting that people would buy a dog like that and have someone not much older than a child walk this dog," he said. "I told the young lady that if I saw her on the block with that dog, I would call the police."

Because Kasey is considered Roth's property, police told him that he could not file a report about the incident. Instead, he would have to find and sue the dog's owner in civil court -- a measure he said he does not plan to take at the moment.

But he said he wants to warn others in his neighborhood about the attack.

"I think my neighbors should be aware and take notice," he said.

"It was pretty sad, the whole thing."

(SILive - December 4, 2017)

Read More:

• “Dangerous Dog” Law in New York State: The Basics Explained by NY Dog Attack Lawyer

Florida: 6'5", 200 pound Jason Snead is accused of nearly beating 8 pound dog named Elizabeth Taylor to death

FLORIDA -- A Florida man is facing charges that he nearly beat to death a dog named Elizabeth Taylor, according to an arrest report.

Jason Robert Snead, 40, is facing charges of animal cruelty, possessing a controlled substance without a prescription and possession of drug equipment and is being held in the Palm Beach County Jail in lieu of $9,000 bail.

The dog, a 2-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, has a fractured skull, according to Animal Care and Control Capt. Dave Walesky.

“We’re hoping she makes a full recovery, but she’s not in the clear yet,” Walesky said late Monday.

Snead was seen by a witness and caught on surveillance video brutally beating the dog outside a car dealership in Palm Springs , the report said.

The video appears to show Snead kicking, punching and “aggressively swinging” the dog against the inside the vehicle, the report said.

A witness told Palm Springs police that the dog looked “lifeless” as Snead swung it around by its leash.

Snead told police that the dog, which belongs to his girlfriend, was injured when he was forced to brake hard while driving.

Snead said he hit his lip against the steering wheel while braking, but the report states the man “did not exhibit any injuries to his face consistent with his story.”

During a search of Snead’s vehicle, 0.5 grams of methamphetamine, a glass pipe, multiple syringes and a straw with drug residue were found, the report said.

Of the methamphetamine discovered in the vehicle, Snead allegedly told Palm Springs police: “Off the record, I started [using meth] today.”

The dog’s owner, Denise Richter, told CBS12 over the phone that she drove down with Elizabeth and her boyfriend Snead to purchase a car Sunday at the dealership. Denise says she came outside and was horrified at what she discovered.

“My main concern is getting her back, she is my life, my world, my heart, she’s my soul,” Richter said.

Walesky said that Snead’s girlfriend originally agreed to renounce ownership of the dog, but changed her mind Monday.

Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control says the two-year-old dog is receiving advanced care and is not out of the woods just yet.

“She has really serious head trauma, we’re hoping she doesn’t have any permanent neurological damage” David Walesky with Palm Beach Animal Care and Control said. “At this point, there is no way in the world we’re going to release that dog back to that situation unless a judge forces us to do so.”

The dog is under the care of a private veterinarian, Walesky said.

Elizabeth Taylor weighs 8 pounds. The arrest report lists Snead as 6 feet 5 inches and 200 pounds.

DATE: 04/29/2014 08:39 AM
ADDRESS: PLANTATION OAKS, OB, VOLUSIA COUNTY, FL
CASE NUMBER: 14-11503
Deputy Lee was flagged down by a worker in reference to people camping in the posted undeveloped area of Plantation Oaks. Jason Snead (Defendant 1) and Lynnette Sowder (Defendant 2) were located at their campsite near a retention pond and arrested for trespass. D2 was additionally charged with possession of paraphernalia for items found in her purse incident to her arrest. A stolen black 1978 El Camino (Case #14-8038) was recovered behind the campsite. Both denied involvement in the stolen vehicle, stating it was there abandoned and stuck in a hole when they arrived five days ago. The vehicle was towed for processing and possible charges are pending further investigation.

Arrest date: 03/14/2016
Full name: Jason Robert Snead
Race: White
Sex: Male
Birthdate: 01/12/1977
Arrest age: 39
Arresting Agency: OBPD - ORMOND BEACH
Arrest location: Volusia County, Florida
Charge:
DEALING IN STOLEN PROPERTY
STATUTE: 812.019(1)
BOND: $10,000

Arrest date: 12/30/2016
Full name: Jason Robert Snead
Race: White
Sex: Male
Birthdate: 01/12/1977
Arrest location: Volusia County, Florida
Charges:
#1 VIOLATION OF PROBATION / FALSE OWNER INFO PAWNED ITEMS LESS THAN $300
Case #: 2015 303112 CFDB
Bond: NO BOND
#2 PETIT THEFT FROM MERCHANT
Case #: 2016 317346 MMDB
Bond: $250

Arrest date: 04/05/2017
Full name: Jason Robert Snead
Race: White
Sex: Male
Birthdate: 01/12/1977
Booking number: 995585
Arrest location: Volusia County, Florida
Charges
#1 PETIT THEFT 1ST OFF. - Bond Amount: $500.00
#2 PETIT THEFT 1ST OFF. - Bond Amount: $500.00

(Dayton Daily News - May 23, 2017)

New York: At Anthony Pastor's animal cruelty trial, his ex testified that he has a history of animal abuse

NEW YORK -- An Upper West Side mom testified Monday that her ex-boyfriend brutally beat her poodle to death while she slept in the other room — and it wasn’t the first time he brutalized a lover’s dog, according to prosecutors.

“I looked down and there was Snoopy — stiff, not moving — her eyes were sunken into her head, and there were feces behind her, then I went closer, and I touched her and she was cold and hard,” said Taly Russell at defendant Anthony Pastor’s animal cruelty trial.

The CEO of executive recruiting firm Silverchair, rushed Snoopy’s corpse to the vet Aug. 4, 2016, and insisted on a necropsy, an animal autopsy. She still did not suspect her beau of the horrific attack.

The little pooch, who Russell described as a “ball of fluffy cuteness,” had nine broken ribs, a kidney that was torn in two, a damaged liver and spleen and major internal bleeding, the veterinarian told Russell.

She said she still didn’t suspect that Pastor, a corporate lawyer and father, was involved. “The whole thing didn’t make any sense,” she told jurors in Manhattan Supreme Court before Justice Robert Mandelbaum. “Who murders a dog? It’s just not something people I’ve known do.”

In a chillingly similar incident, in 2013, Pastor’s ex-fiance awoke in his apartment to find her “white fluffy dog” Molly dead, said Assistant District Attorney Tanisha Palvia. 

Days earlier, Pastor’s landlord allegedly saw him beating Molly outside the building, the prosecutor said.

After Russell, 45, told her estranged husband about Snoopy’s mysterious death, he threatened to take custody of their two children, now 9 and 11, if she didn’t cut ties with Pastor, she said.

He was so alarmed by the incident, he hired security and slept in the children’s room.

Defense lawyer Gerald Lefcourt, who is heading a defense team of three attorneys, argued that the dog could have been injured the night before when the couple tied him to a metal fence in Riverside Park while they had sex against a tree.

But Russell insists she was no more than 20 feet from Snoopy, 4, and facing her direction during the entire sex act.

“I wasn’t looking at her the entire time, but she was directly in front of my face,” she smiled, nervously. She claimed she never lost sight of the cavalier-poodle pup even while performing oral sex on Pastor.

Lefcourt grilled Russell for hours as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. He asked her about the four other dogs she owned in the last decade, including one that died and two that she gave away because they weren’t a good match for her family.

Russell met Pastor, 46, on match.com two months after separating from her hubby. A few months into the relationship, Snoopy’s behavior toward Pastor changed and she would cower in his presence and run from him, she said.

But this didn’t stop Russell from leaving Snoopy with Pastor while she jetted off on trips to Indonesia and other exotic locales.

Even after Snoopy’s shocking death, Russell invited Pastor and his son to stay at her Hamptons home, she admitted.

If convicted, Pastor faces a maximum of 1 1/3 to 4 years in prison on the top charge of felony cruelty to animals.

(NYPost - May 1, 2017)

Australia: 'I have never been so fearful': Two pit bulls savage Cavalier Spaniel Rusty and maul his owner so badly he was rushed to hospital - but no-one stopped to try and help during the attack

AUSTRALIA -- Witnesses of a savage dog attack failed to stop and help as a family's beloved nine-year-old cavalier was mauled and his owner hospitalized during an evening walk.

Michael Rhodes was walking Rusty in West Ryde, northwest Sydney, when they were attacked by two Staffordshire pit bull terriers who had escaped from a backyard.

Mr Rhodes was taken to Ryde Hospital and Rusty to the vet who saved the dog from life-threatening injuries.

Multiple cars drove past the attack on Parkes Street, and it was only after the dogs ran away that someone offered help.

'A sad indictment of people's apathy is that during the attack which lasted three or four minutes, not one vehicle passing by stopped to give assistance,' Mr Rhodes said.

The two Staffordshire pit bull terriers left five puncture wounds on Mr Rhodes's hand as he attempted to pull Rusty from the attack.

Mr Rhodes has been walking his dog in the area for more than three years and said he was gripped by fear during the attack

'I had never seen these dogs or heard of such an incident before,' he said.

'I have never been so fearful in such a situation and believe me - I have seen a lot in my time.'

Now Mr Rhodes is on a crusade to track down the owner of the Staffordshire pit bull terriers and have them punished.

'I fearfully think of what would have happened if such an attack was upon someone less capable of fending these animals off.

'[They] may well have been hurt worse than I or their dog could have been killed - as I thought of mine.'

Police spoke to the alleged owner of the dogs, but they said they don't have any on their premises.

Mr Rhodes said the Staffordshire pit bull terriers should not be in residential areas and has asked City of Ryde council to take action.

The council held an interview with Mr Rhodes on Tuesday and asked him if he would speak to the owners of the two dogs 'as they were upset'.

The owner of a dog declared as 'dangerous' in NSW can be jailed for two years and fined $55,000 if their animal attacks someone.

(Daily Mail - March 23, 2017)

California: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel mauled by pit bull. Owner says sorry, but won't pay vet bills

CALIFORNIA -- "Please share........Toughie's owner is battling cancer right now, and Toughie desperately needs an MRI and surgery as a result of being attacked by an aggressive pit bull mix that was running at large while Toughie was being walked."

Toughie's Dog Attack Vet Expenses
Toughie, a sweet little disabled Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, was brutally mauled by a pit bull mix (which was unrestrained and running loose) on October 19th while he was being walked. 

His life was saved by the neoprene vest and harness he wears to protect his neck and torso. It is riddled with puncture marks from the bites he sustained.

Toughie was born with congenital hydrocephalus or “water on the brain” due to a defect which kept this fluid trapped deep in his brain. Two very expensive neurosurgeries were done when he was young to save his life. This included the placement of a shunt, a device implanted to move fluid out of the brain. X-rays taken immediately after the dog attack showed that the multiple bites he suffered to his neck caused his brain shunt to be separated from the embedded drainage tube that is in his neck. The shunt itself is in place, but the drainage tube has been damaged and it’s unclear if it’s properly draining at this point.

Sadly, just last night Toughie had a seizure which may be an indicator that the tube is not draining. He urgently needs an MRI to have the damage evaluated and then surgically repaired. He also sustained some painful bruises to his shoulder and thigh in the attack however he is recovering nicely from those injuries but the shunt connection is a serious problem that needs immediate attention.

Although Toughie's hydrocephalus left him permanently disabled, he has no idea that he is a disabled dog and he doesn’t let his limitations stop him. That determination is one of the things that made his pet parents, Cathy and Steve Rose, work hard to save him.

"Tough Nut" Toughie has learned to compensate for significant balance problems and weakness in his front legs. He has done beautifully since his two surgeries – he is now 10 years old, healthy with no heart issues. Cathy and Steve are beyond devastated that this has happened to their happy little boy. He deserves medical treatment. He didn’t deserve to be attacked.

Even though the pit bull mix owner acknowledges fault in the incident, she is not taking financial responsibility, even for Toughie’s emergency vet care on the night of the attack. 

If the police or animal control had done their jobs and charged the pit bull owner, they COULD HAVE included all of these vet bills in the charge(s) and the judge COULD HAVE ordered the pit bull owner to pay them. 

It's easy to say 'I'm sorry" while not handing over one red cent to the victim.

This has left Toughie’s family in a difficult position as they are currently not in a position to pay for this level of care outright. Previously, Toughie’s family had spent a substantial amount of money for his surgeries and post-operative care for the shunt. They would do so now, however Cathy herself has had two recent surgeries and is undergoing radiation and chemotherapy for leiomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer.

Saving Toughie is as much about him as it is about helping Cathy to reduce her stress level and save her strength for her own battle. She says, “I can’t imagine giving up on Toughie at this point in his life and my life. He is my heart dog.”

Toughie truly is her “comforter spaniel.” Toughie is affectionate. He loves to cuddle and watch TV with Cathy. Judge Judy is his favorite. He watches that show intently and comes running if he hears her theme tune. Toughie is smart. He knows if he hits the remote control that he can change the channel, which he does repeatedly if there’s something on TV he doesn’t like, (see photo of him guarding the remote). Toughie loves life and loves to dance.

If more money is raised than is actually needed for Toughie’s care, or if his family actually manages to get some reimbursement from the pit bull mix owner, they want all the extra funds gained to be donated to University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, for research, half to syringomyelia (common in Cavaliers) and half going to Prada's Fund for research specifically to fight Mitral Valve Disease in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.

Posted on October 26, 2016 by Myra
TOUGHIE UPDATE: Toughie has an appointment at the University of California, Davis Veterinary School of Medicine. Originally the earliest appointment Cathy could get for him was in December. It has now been bumped up to Nov 16th and he is at the top of the list for any cancellation slot. The neurology coordinator at UC Davis is aware that Cathy's local vet had to put Toughie on gabapentin because he had a seizure. A seizure could mean that Toughie's shattered tube connected to the shunt in his brain is not draining properly. Cathy and Steve have been told that if Toughie has any more seizures or his condition deteriorates, such as struggles with eating or drinking, they are to bring him in through the emergency room.

In the meantime the UC Davis coordinator is aware of the times of day that Cathy is having radiation and is trying to find a slot that works. THANK YOU for your donations and kind words.

PLEASE if you haven't done so, post it to your FaceBook page and encourage your friends to post it to theirs and share it on twitter! We are currently averaging $10 for every time it is shared. So sharing is a big help because someone who sees it somewhere may donate.

THANK YOU so much for all your help! It does take a village! Cathy has always been so generous with her knowledge and her kindness to those who have dogs struggling with Mitral Valve Disease or Syringomyelia.

 

 

 

YouCaring link "Toughie's Dog Attack Vet Expenses"

Virginia: Fairfax County Animal Shelter continue to adopt vicious dogs. Now, a Pit bull repeatedly returned to shelter for aggression attacks and kills Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

VIRGINIA -- A 2-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was killed by a Pit bull, which has a known history of aggression, while he was out for a walk with his owner.

Rahman Nawroz watched from a balcony as a Pit bull raced over and began attacking Kaiser, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

 

 

“I don’t know what he did, but he grabbed it like a lion taking a mouse,” said Nawroz.

Kaiser’s owner struggled to fend off the attack but was left bloodied and bitten. And it was too late. Kaiser was dead.

“‘He was crying very badly because he was in love with this little dog.”

  

The Pit bull had been adopted out by the Fairfax County Animal shelter just a few months ago.

Records obtained by WUSA9 reveal that Maple, later renamed Odin, was returned in December by an adoptive family and adopted out again.

He was returned three weeks later.

His case file noted he “was aggressive sometimes.” Yet, he was still placed for adoption a third time.

The Fairfax County Police Chief has noticed the oversight by the animal shelter and acknowledged he was aware that dogs with an aggressive history were up for adoption.

The pit bull that the Fairfax Animal
Shelter repeatedly pushed out the
door, knowing it had problems.

 

Chief Ed Roessler said, “Clearly, if they can’t be rehabilitated, they shouldn’t be adopted out. They’re too dangerous.”

The Chief responded to our report that in just the last year, five of its shelter workers have been violently mauled by dogs, including some on the adoption floor. WUSA9 discovered the shelter was knowingly placing dogs with an aggressive history.

“The policies are there. They need to be followed,” said Chief Roessler.  “My number one priority is the safety of all humans and all animals and that’s the paramount drive here,” he said

The Chief says he’s in process of assessing what went wrong with all of those injuries, and whether they could have been prevented.  He told us he never wants this to happen again.

The dog attacks inside the shelter are part of an internal administrative investigation that won’t be made public.

RIP sweet Kaiser. The Fairfax County Animal
Shelter is responsible for your horrific pain
and death from THEIR PIT BULL.

(WUSA9 - Aug 11, 2016)

United Kingdom: Kai Tomlinson, 18, was angry at his girlfriend so he beat her dog to death

UNITED KINGDOM -- A teenager has been jailed for six months after brutally kicking his girlfriend's dog to death following a blazing row.

Kai Tomlinson, 18, from Wallasey, Wirral, repeatedly kicked the 18-month-old King Charles spaniel so hard that her brain stem detached.

RSPCA inspectors then visited the address and found Holly's remains in a plastic bag, buried in the garden at the home he shared with his then girlfriend Jade Connor.

RIP Holly

He initially denied the attach but when he finally admitted it to police, he dubbed it 'f***ing vile' and broke down as he told officers he did it because he was 'p***ed off' with Miss Connor.

Tomlinson was sentenced to 22 weeks in prison and banned from owning animals for life on Tuesday, and ordered to pay costs and victim surcharges of more than £1,000.

Judge Michael Abelson, at Wirral Magistrates Court, said that he would have imposed a longer sentence if guidelines allowed.

He added: 'This is a brutal and unprovoked attack and this example of animal cruelty is one of the worst that I have seen and I have been hearing these cases for many years. You have shown remorse since admitting the attack but I would suggest that that remorse is only for yourself.'

The RSPCA called on the Government to allow lengthier jail terms for such offences, describing Holly's final moments as ones of 'sheer terror'.

Aspiring sports coach Tomlinson had earlier pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal at the same court on May 18.

Chris Murphy, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, told the court that Tomlinson appeared calm when initially interviewed by Merseyside Police.

Tomlinson told officers that anyone could have 'climbed over the fence and kicked the dog' after the attack at the house they shared on December 15 last year.

But when he was re-interviewed in March following an examination of Holly's remains, he broke down in tears and told officers that he had been 'p****d off' when he struck the dog.

The court heard that the teen admitted full responsibility for the attack and claimed his actions were 'f*****g vile'.

Mr Murphy said: 'The defendant admitted during interview that he had anger issues and the row with his girlfriend had left him full of anger and really p****d off.

'He told police that he was aware that he shouldn't have done it and that what he had done was really 'f***ing vile.

'He became agitated and broke down in tears and said to officers 'I'm f*****d. I'm going down, aren't I?'

'Upon examining Holly's body, the pathologist indicated the dog would have suffered significant physical pain and mental terror as she suffered unimaginable injuries.'

Zoe Keene, defending, told the court that the defendant and his family had been the subject of threats since he admitted the attack.

Mrs Keene said: 'Standing before you is a man with no previous convictions, who is educated, from a caring family and has been working with local special needs children towards becoming a sports coach. These proceedings have also taken their toll on his family, who have faced threats, and he is no longer able to leave the house.

'He clearly has anger management issues and I would ask you to consider this as a momentary loss of temper. My client has accepted that he faces a custodial sentence for this offence.'

Judge Abelson, sentencing, told Tomlinson that the case was 'one of the worst of its kind that he had ever seen'.

The teenager showed no emotion as he was taken into custody while members of his own family and his ex-girlfriend's family were in tears in the public gallery.

Judge Abelson said: 'Dogs are the most loyal of animals and I have no doubt that Holly was exactly like that so one can't imagine how anyone with any compassion could do this.

'A lot of these kind of cases involve people who can barely look after themselves and so should never be let near animals in the first place, but it is only once in a while that I see a case of such brutality.

Authorities found where the little dog had been buried

'Your behaviour was wholly unacceptable and I have to send a message to young men like you that you will go to jail for offences like this. If I had not been limited to six months by law then you would have been going to prison for a lot longer but my hands are tied.'

After the 20-minute hearing, RSPCA Inspector Anthony Joynes said: 'Poor Holly was brutally kicked to death by Tomlinson, apparently so that he could get at something close to his girlfriend. This dog would have been mentally terrorised and in sheer panic as to the beating it was taking.

'A lot of work has gone into ensuring this case was brought to the courts as it's massively important that people cannot get away with this sort of abhorrent cruelty.

'However, I have to say it still troubles me greatly that the final moments of poor Holly would have been of terror. It's just so sad. I'm grateful to the district judge who sentenced Tomlinson to the maximum that he had at his disposal. Many people will be disgusted that it's not enough.

'Do I agree? Absolutely. And so did the courts. This may be something that Parliament wants to reconsider.

'The judge said he would have jailed Tomlinson for considerably longer should the law have allowed. Of course people that commit such horrendous, stomach-churning acts of cruelty to animals should face lengthy jail terms

'I hope the family and owners of Holly can find some closure now knowing that at least we have brought her abuser to court.'

After the sentencing, Holly's owner Jade Connor, 17, said: 'I'm happy now he's been sentenced but it still doesn't seem real.'

(Daily Mail - June 15, 2016)

United Kingdom: Escort, Grace Banks 29, with six aliases was caught running a disease-ridden puppy mill after dead dog was discovered in the trunk of her white Mercedes

UNITED KINGDOM -- A designer-clad escort with 'pouty lips' was caught running a disease-ridden puppy farm after a dead dog was discovered in the boot of her white Mercedes.

Grace Banks, 29, was 'thoroughly dishonest' when she advertised the puppies - which were riddled with contagious diseases - using fake images from Google.

She then sold the pets for up to £600 and her buyers all described her as having 'HD brows, long black hair and pouty lips'.

The 'cruel' and 'callous' fraudster, now of Manchester, also worked as escort and faces jail after being convicted of animal cruelty following a trial.

A court heard Banks imported and sold the severely ill puppies to unsuspecting families - some of whom contracted diseases from their new pets.

One of her victims, Lorna Melia, bought a Cavachon puppy, but it was female not male as advertised - and had fleas and worms.

NOTE: The Cavachon is not a pure breed. Rather, it's a "designer dog" combination of Bichon Frise and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. 

She was eventually rumbled when the RSPCA raided her £850-a-month then-home in Oldham, Greater Manchester, in April last year.

Inspectors then discovered a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy that had died of parvovirus - which would have caused the animal two days of agony - in the boot of her white Mercedes Coupe.

The animals in her puppy farm were kept in pens while she advertised them for sale on website Pets4Homes, Manchester Magistrates' Court heard.

The court was told she used numerous mobile phones and her email address matched one she used to advertise her services as an escort.

She was described as having 'HD brows', which is a seven-step eyebrow shaping treatment that uses a combination of techniques including tinting, waxing and threading.

And the court heard she routinely told buyers they could not meet the puppies' mothers because they were separated for 'weaning'. Instead, she would show them a fake picture of a puppy in a pink heart frame.

Banks, who was also known as Leah Rogers and Lilly Cooper, used two addresses in Oldham to sell the puppies.

Brazenly, she had been selling the dogs while on bail awaiting trial for running a puppy farm with her brother Julian King.

That case was the biggest of its kind ever prosecuted by the RSPCA as it involved thousands of puppies.

Banks was jailed for five months last October after pleading guilty on the day of the trial - and was released in time to stand trial again.

This time, she blamed a friend, who just happened to match her description and also drive a white Mercedes.

Finding Banks guilty at Manchester Magistrates' Court, judge Nicholas Sanders described her as a 'completely unconvincing' witness who struggled to remember a 'concocted' story and ruled the she was selling the puppies, with a male accomplice.

Mr Sanders said: 'Although I only heard evidence of eight puppies it is clear that she was involved in the selling of many, many more. Ms Banks is a thoroughly dishonest woman who has inflicted considerable misery on innocent members of the public through her activities with animals.

'She knew that her victims would be unable to resist the purchase of a puppy even though they had misgivings about the arrangements and what they were being told.  Her approach to animal welfare was cruel and callous. She has shown no remorse.'

He found Banks guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to a puppy, not ensuring the needs of nine puppies, keeping a pet shop without a licence and fraud.

Warning Banks she faced jail, he adjourned the case to Crown Court so they could impose a sentence longer than six months.

 

Ian Briggs, chief inspector with RSPCA special operations unit, said: 'Her set up was designed to maximise profits.

She lulled buyers into a false sense of security by making people think she was a legitimate breeder.
She actually didn't care eat all - her sole driver was to maximize profits. She wanted the dogs in and out as quickly as possible while trying to allay the fears of buyers.'

Banks was cleared of one charge of causing unnecessary suffering to a cavachon puppy called Lulu by failing to provide veterinary treatment.

(Daily Mail - April 22, 2016)