Man headed to court over animal cruelty to a kookaburra

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A man will face court in October accused of aggravated cruelty to a kookaburra in Port Stephens in July.

It's alleged the 32-year-old man used an aluminium chair at a licensed premises in Soldiers Point to strike the kookaburra causing it to fall to the ground - he then allegedly kicked the bird and it died at the scene.

Police launched an investigation which led them to the man at a home in Anna Bay on Saturday (2nd September 2017) - he was issued a court attendance notice for the offence of aggravated cruelty to animals.

He's due to appear at Raymond Terrace Local Court on Monday 16th October.

The maximum penalty for aggravated animal cruelty for a native animal is three years imprisonment.

Image natureaustralia.org.au

Man found not guilty of animal cruelty

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The Weston man accused of swinging a cat by the tail and hitting her against a trailer last year has been found not guilty of torture in Kurri Kurri Local Court this morning.

Gregory Richardson was charged with animal cruelty, accused of causing serious injury to the cat dubbed Princess, just days after she gave birth to a litter of kittens.

At the time it was alleged a boy saw the 58-year-old swing the cat, and he and his mother believed the cat had died, but the found the animal had suffered a broken spine and legs.

Princess has since been in care living her life happily.

Image Sawyers Gully Animal Rescue Weston

Who dumped 'Hugo' in Muswellbrook?

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The RSPCA are appealing for anyone with information about a dog which was dumped at a Muswellbrook pound to come forward.

A young dog was left in the overnight kennels of a Muswellbrook pound last week suffering severe emaciation and neglect.

Image www.rspcansw.org.au

The dog has been nicknamed 'Hugo' by the RSPCA who were called to take the dog by staff at the pound upon realising how serious the situation was.

The dog was rushed to the vet and now remains at the Rutherford RSPCA shelter in care.

But the question remains, who dumped 'Hugo'?

"We're looking into a few bits and pieces of information with some suggestions starting to trickle in but obviously there's a long way to yet before we have any clear cut information about who may have done this, " said NSW RSPCA Inspector Russell Jarman.

"Even if this dog was found at a legitimate stray then I would ask that the people who found the dog and took it to the pound come forward".

If the person responsible for the act of neglect is discovered, they could be up for five years imprisonment and/or a $22,000 fine.

Inspector Russell Jarman says it is difficult to find out much about the dog itself, due to its poor condition.

"A ridgeback cross is what we've put him as and again that identification is difficult to determine due to its severe neglect and severe poor body condition,. He's a young dog and appears at this moment in time to be a really nice friendly dog so its obviously very unfortunate"

He is expected to make a full recovery.

Image www.rspcansw.org.au

Horrific Act Of Animal Cruelty At Cessnock

BY IAN CROUCH

A Cessnock dog owner is urging residents to be on the lookout after an appalling act of animal cruelty.

Carly Anderson says a low-life tipped acid over her fence or through the gate of her Vineyard Grove home onto her pet Beagle Max sometime on Saturday night or Sunday morning, leaving him with horrific burns.

She says she only noticed it after discovering his fur was sticky and congealed and was coming off in large clumps as she tried to wash it out.

A vet later confirmed acid had caused the burns.

Max Photo courtesy Facebook