North leads SPCA shame list

Francine Shields.

A Whangarei man who filmed himself mutilating and decapitating possums has topped this year's national SPCA list of shame, with Northland abusers filling three of the top five worst cases.

And the Whangarei SPCA says the reported cases are just the tip of the iceberg.

"We see some cases where you almost have to black them out," Whangarei SPCA manager Francine Shields said of abuse in the region.

"It's beyond humanity, the things people can do [to animals]. It's something you'd expect to see in a horror movie."

Whangarei possum trapper Joshua Heka was sentenced to two years and four months jail in May after being charged with nine counts of wilfully ill-treating possums and one count of ill-treating a possum. He filmed himself mutilating the possums - including nailing them to trees and chopping off their limbs - before decapitating them or bludgeoning them to death.

Ms Shields said the case was up there with some of the worst cases she'd seen. "It was very, very nasty work."

Two other Whangarei cases were also in the top 5 of the national 2014 list. At No3 a month-old kitten was found alive in a tied up plastic bag at Whangarei's Mair Park. The kitten had such bad deformities on his front legs he couldn't hold himself up, and had to be euthanased. Those responsible have not been found.

At No5 a Whangarei man was charged with ill-treating his dog, after it was found very thin with major hair loss because of untreated mange. He received 125 hours of community work, and was disqualified from owning animals for three years.

At No18 was a case where a Northland man was charged with ill-treating a cow after it was found with a fly and maggot-infested eye, and at No19, a Whangarei man was charged with failing to ensure the needs of his horses were met by not providing sufficient food, water or veterinary treatment.

"Regardless of whether it is a possum, a dairy cow, or a dog - it's not acceptable," Ms Shields said. "What are we teaching our community? That life is not precious and that suffering is okay?"

The release of the list marks the start of SPCA's national appeal this week, and the Whangarei SPCA is urging the community to get behind the centre, which costs $1.5 million a year to run and is currently running at a loss.