Owner who beat his dog to death is jailed

A callous couple whose pet dog died after a 'barbaric' and sickening attack left him with at least 25 rib fractures have been found guilty of multiple animal welfare crimes. 

30-year-old Andrew MacKay, of Pulton-le-Fylde, Lancs, left the broken body of his grey crossbreed dog, Bonzo with so many fractures that experts could not officially determine how many injuries he sustained.  

As MacKay was jailed for four months, Blackpool Magistrates' Court heard how the horrific injuries inflicted on the defenceless dog were 'some of the worst' an RSCPA inspector had ever seen.

His partner, Nicole Logan, 27, was also found guilty of two animal welfare charges but escaped time behind bars with a suspended prison sentence. 

MacKay took his pet to a vets in Garstang, Lancashire, on Dec 23, 2019 where he lied and told vets he had tripped over the dog and his 18 stone body fell on him. 

The quick-thinking vet suspected that the pet had died as a result of abuse and reported the matter to the RSPCA.

Further investigations later revealed Bonzo had suffered so many fractures that experts were unable to determine exactly how many he had obtained, the court heard.

During MacKay's sentencing, magistrates described the attacks as 'barbaric and torturous' and said it left 'prolonged and deliberate injuries'.

They added that his partner Nicole Logan, 27, was aware of the injuries but failed to seek veterinary treatment for her dog who was left in a suffering state.

MacKay, of Pulton-le-Fylde, Lancs., was found guilty of four animal welfare charges and was jailed for 18 weeks.

Logan was found guilty of two animal welfare offences and was handed a 12-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months.

The pair were both banned from keeping animals for 10 years.

Inspector Will Lamping, who attended the address with the police, said: 'The injuries caused to Bonzo were some of the worst I've seen.

'The image of his broken body will stay with me for a long time.'

During the investigation, Logan told officers that Bonzo had punctured his lung while running through bushes.

MacKay then contacted the RSPCA himself and claimed that he had injured Bonzo by standing on him and falling over while Logan was at work.

But an independent veterinary expert told the court that the injuries could not have been caused by a fall but that Bonzo had been subjected to a series of abuse.

They concluded that the attacks, which Bonzo suffered on four separate occasions, were most likely caused by blunt force trauma.