Palmerston North’s Crimson Toto sentenced for beating two puppies with a fence paling

One of the puppies confiscated by the SPCA after being beaten by owner Crimson Toto. Photo / SPCA

Warning: The story contains details of animal abuse

Two 4-month-old puppies were beaten so badly with a fence paling one never recovered and had to be euthanised.

In July last year, Crimson Toto’s neighbour called the SPCA after watching the man beat his two dogs, Hunnie and King, after they escaped his house and hid under a tree.

As Toto lashed out with the fence paling at the dogs, which were of unknown breed, Hunnie ran down the road.

But King ran onto the porch, where he was struck at least three more times before being taken inside.

The neighbour heard thumps from inside Toto’s house, accompanied by a “screaming puppy,” Judge Jonathan Krebs described at Toto’s sentencing in the Palmerston North District Court on two charges of willful ill-treatment of animals on Monday.

“It’s clear from the material that the dogs were under a significant degree of pain,” Judge Krebs said.

“You injured their bones and their internal organs.

“You used extreme violence.”

The judge said after Toto’s neighbour called the SPCA, the animal welfare charity immediately attended and confiscated the dogs.

Veterinarian staff later found Hunnie had suffered a fractured pelvis and blunt trauma to one of her back legs.

King, who took a longer beating, suffered a fractured thigh bone and injuries to his lungs.

The SPCA noted he was cowering and afraid of men.

Both puppies were taken away by SPCA officers. Photo / SPCA

That fear did not subside and despite attempts to have him adopted, he had to be returned to the SPCA and was later euthanised.

Hunnie recovered from the injuries and was successfully adopted.

Judge Krebs told Toto he was charged with the most serious offence of animal cruelty available.

“The beating of a dog with a piece of wood, not once but many times, means what you did was serious.”

The judge noted while the beating Toto handed down was not sadistic, it was still “extreme”.

Judge Krebs said Toto had endured a rough home life and was subject to violence growing up and there was a clear link between his background and his offending.

He sentenced Toto to 7 months home detention and disqualified him from owning a dog in the future.

Following the sentencing, SPCA chief executive officer Todd Westwood said a veterinarian concluded the injuries would have caused severe pain for the puppies.

“These puppies should have had better care from the person responsible for them, not made to cower in fear of being beaten,” Westwood said in a statement.

“I am grateful to the member of the public for her brave intervention to get help for the puppies.

“You heard their helpless screams and knew to take action, thank you.”

Jeremy Wilkinson is an Open Justice reporter based in Manawatū covering courts and justice issues with an interest in tribunals. He has been a journalist for nearly a decade and has worked for NZME since 2022.