Jailed for violent attack on dog

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

A Wairoa man has been jailed for 12 months after violently attacking his dog, smashing its leg in several places.

Serrin MacPherson, 29, was sentenced in Wairoa District Court yesterday after pleading guilty to wilfully ill-treating his dog Rocka, then failing to get the animal treated.

Judge Warren Cathcart sentenced MacPherson to 12 months’ imprisonment, disqualified him from owning animals for six years, and ordered him to pay $1780.41 in reparations.

The case arose from an incident in November 2017 when the defendant let his dog Rocka out from his property in Papakura. Rocka and a second dog subsequently attacked livestock at a nearby property.

On catching Rocka back at his property, the defendant attacked the dog, punching, kicking, and slamming the animal to the ground, breaking its leg.

A witness attempted to intervene but MacPherson continued the attack.

That same day, MacPherson went to his father’s house where he was advised to provide veterinary treatment but he did not act on the advice.

The next day, he again went to his father’s house and was told to take Rocka to a vet. He again did not act on the advice.

SPCA inspectors visited the defendant and he provided false information about Rocka, telling them that he had euthanised the dog and disposed of him.

He later admitted that Rocka was in his vehicle, injured and had not received veterinary treatment.

Inspectors saw that Rocka’s right hind leg was obviously injured and extremely swollen, and the animal wasn’t placing weight on it. Rocka was surrendered into the care of SPCA.

A veterinarian later found Rocka’s femur had been “fractured into pieces” and he would have been in severe pain.

Due to the extent of his injuries Rocka was euthanised on November 11.

MacPherson later admitted attacking Rocka as punishment, and said he knew the leg was broken and that he failed to get veterinary treatment.

He pleaded guilty to one charge of failing to ensure an animal received treatment to alleviate pain and distress, and one charge of wilfully ill-treating an animal.

Judge Cathcart sentenced MacPherson to 12 months jail, with leave to apply for home detention.

Judge Cathcart said MacPherson’s behaviour was “wholly unacceptable” and that he needed to treat the case in accordance with the law, and that punishment was appropriate, and a deterrent to others.

When delivering the sentence, Judge Cathcart said extreme violence was displayed in this incident, and gave a starting point of 16 months imprisonment.

After considering MacPherson’s lack of cooperation with probation prior to his sentencing and also his early guilty pleas for the charges, Judge Cathcart arrived at a final sentence of 12 months imprisonment.

SPCA chief executive Andrea Midgen said the society was pleased the court had recognised the significant pain and distress and extreme violence of the case, and that this was reflected in the sentence.

“This type of offending is particularly horrific as the offender not only violently attacked his own animal, he failed to provide critical medical care after the fact, and lied about it to authorities, leading to a huge amount of suffering for Rocka,” she said.

“Let this be a warning: anyone who treats their animals in such a way will be prosecuted by SPCA to the full extent of the law.” — Wairoa Star