Man dragged husky along road, tied to his car

Sick Kim Norman Rendall, 65, drove for approximately 200 metres, around 55 seconds, along Timsbury Road in High Littleton, near Bath with his dog Daisy tied to the back of his car on April 17 this year.

Motorists attempted to stop him and, when he did finally pull over, he refused to take Daisy to the vet, telling one distressed driver: 'I'll do what I want, it's my dog.'

Rendall later hid Daisy in a cow barn where she was found by police following a two and a half hour hunt in the Somerset countryside. Daisy was immediately rushed to a vet hospital in Bath but was sadly put down nine days later due to her injuries.

Rendall pleaded guilty to two counts of causing the unnecessary suffering of an animal contrary to the Animal Welfare Act at North Somerset Magistrates' Court. He will appear at Bristol Crown Court for sentencing on 21 November.

The court heard how drivers pressed their horns and flashed their lights as they watched Daisy dragged down the road while tied with rope to the rear of a red Nissan Micra.

On hearing one of the motorists shouting 'dog, dog' out of a window, a woman - who was with her own dogs - flagged the car down.

At that point, Rendall stopped and was swiftly confronted by distressed locals as Daisy haemorrhaged blood onto the road and attempted to stand up.

One woman said she'd take Daisy to the vet for urgent care if Rendall was not going to. He smirked and laughed, saying: 'I'll do what I want, it's my dog.'

Lindi Meyer, prosecuting, said it's estimated he drove for approximately 200 metres - around 55 seconds. After removing a bin from his vehicle, he placed Daisy in his boot and drove away.

The police were called and officers were immediately dispatched. They attended the Micra's registered address, his mother's home within an hour. Rendall was found there indulging in a cup of tea and having a haircut.

He refused to tell officers where Daisy was and said he would get his own veterinary care for her. Given the urgency of the situation, he was arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty.

In response, he said: 'I don't like this at all, I don't like this at f**king all'.

In custody, it was noted that his trainers were soaked in blood. He was described as rude and aggressive towards officers when they booked him in.

In the meantime, 18 police officers and a drone unit were deployed in a bid to locate Daisy and get her the life-saving treatment they believed she needed.

Following a two and a half hour hunt in the Somerset countryside, she was located in a cow barn in Gossard Lane, High Littleton.

She was rushed to Rosemary Lodge Veterinary Hospital in Bath in a police vehicle travelling on blue lights and sirens.

Vets said she sustained complicated and traumatic injuries - including both hind legs suffering full-thickness skin loss and an open fracture of a foot.

Despite the best efforts of vets to treat Daisy, her pain could not be controlled and she was put to sleep nine days later.

PC Natalie Cosgrove described Daisy's injuries as 'the worst thing I have ever seen' and it made her 'feel physically sick'.

'I felt shocked, I couldn't sleep and I cried... I hugged my own dog crying in sympathy for Daisy', she told the court in a victim person statement.

She added that the dog's suffering was 'something that cannot be described' and said she was 'traumatised' when Rendall smirked in his police interview.

She said: 'I just felt incredibly sorry for her, that a human let her down so badly. This is one of those jobs that will haunt me forever.'

In tears, RSPCA Inspector Kim Walters comforted visibly upset PC Cosgrove in the public gallery as the case continued.

Ms Meyer told the magistrates that Rendall's refusal to provide Daisy's whereabouts was 'sadistic' and only prolonged her suffering.

'He prioritised a haircut and a cup of tea over her medical attention', she added.

At a previous hearing, Rendall pleaded guilty to two counts of causing the unnecessary suffering of an animal contrary to the Animal Welfare Act.

Suggesting the starting point was two years in prison for his crimes, the magistrates agreed that their powers were likely to be insufficient, and was referred to Bristol Crown Court for sentencing.

He was released on unconditional bail to appear on 21 November.