Logan Bragg was found guilty of ill-treating an animal by a judge at Tauranga District Court. Photo / File
Logan Bragg was found guilty of ill-treating an animal by a judge at Tauranga District Court. Photo / File
WARNING: Potentially distressing image below.
A Tauranga man has been fined after shooting his neighbour's elderly dog in the rear end with a shotgun.
The owner of the 8-year-old boxer, named Bourbon, contacted the SPCA on March 26, 2017, to say their neighbour, Logan Bragg, had shot the dog while on his property two days prior.
They said Bourbon had walked through an open gate onto Bragg's property next door. Bragg then shot Bourbon in the rear end with a shotgun, the neighbour said.
Bourbon returned home, his owner found him in a very distressed state, dragging a back leg and bleeding profusely from his rear end area. His owner immediately sought veterinary attention.
On clinical examination, Bourbon had numerous small entry-hole wounds across his thighs, hips and tail consistent with being shot by a shotgun. The wounds were painful to touch and Bourbon was exhibiting signs of shock due to blood loss.
Due to Bourbon's age, the nature and extent of his injuries and the risk of further complications, the owner decided to have him euthanised.
Not long after the incident, the owner's husband had a voicemail message from Bragg, in which he said Bourbon had "pissed on my furniture again".
He called Bourbon a "little bugger" and described the weapon he used to shoot him.
He said he "honestly wasn't sure what else to do, but to make sure he [Bourbon] wouldn't do it again".
Bragg told SPCA inspectors he had shot Bourbon on his property that day, but claimed he had the right to because Bourbon had charged at him in an aggressive matter.
Bourbon, an 8-year-old Boxer dog, which was shot in the rear end by his owner's Tauranga neighbour. Photo / SPCA
He said inconsistencies between this account and the voicemail message were due to adrenaline from the encounter and denied shooting Bourbon because he had urinated on his furniture.
According to the SPCA, Bragg's claims were dismissed by the judge, who noted Bourbon was elderly, had a gentle disposition, had recently suffered a broken leg and had damaged paw pads which restricted his movement.
Bragg was found guilty of ill-treating an animal by a judge at Tauranga District Court on Friday, and sentenced to pay $221.50 towards costs, and a payment to the family of $500 for emotional reparations.
"SPCA is pleased that this sentence includes payment of emotional reparations to Bourbon's family, who were distraught at what their beloved family pet went through," SPCA CEO Andrea Midgen said.
"It is unacceptable to inflict this level of suffering on an elderly animal simply because they walk onto your property. The defendant should have spoken with his neighbours about Bourbon's behaviour rather than resorting to violence."
