The owner of a dog who suffered rib and cheekbone fractures as a result of blunt force trauma has been banned from owning animals for life.
Marcus Hibbert (date of birth:12/05/1994) of Farm Road, Birmingham, pleaded guilty to animal welfare offences, following an investigation and prosecution by the RSPCA. A neighbour contacted the animal welfare charity with concerns for the welfare of a dog named Bertie that they’d removed from his home after witnessing him being beaten by Hibbert.
They described 11-month-old Bertie as ‘struggling to stand with an eye that would not open, and bleeding from inside the ear’ when they contacted the RSPCA for help. Bertie was taken to an RSPCA animal hospital where a vet observed him to be lame on back leg, with bloodshot eyes, and a bruise to his head near his ear.
He was also noted to have an ear infection and a skin condition and x-rays showed cheek and rib fractures. Bertie’s blood results also showed a marked increase in Creatine kinase level which is consistent with significant muscle injury.
When interviewed, Hibbert admitted to having caused harm to Bertie. He later pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering and failing to provide vet care to treat the injuries he’d caused to his dog.
The veterinary report stated: “In my opinion Bertie was caused to suffer as a consequence of physical abuse on at least three separate occasions.
“Suffering will have been experienced via mechanisms of fear, distress and pain for a period of at least several minutes on each occasion. The x-rays indicate that Bertie had sustained skeletal trauma resulting in bone fractures on at least three different occasions.
“On each of these occasions Bertie would have experienced pain as a consequence of the acute inflammation associated with the fracture injuries which would have persisted for a period of at least 10 days.” In mitigation, it was said his actions were out of character and he was remorseful for his actions.
Alongside the lifetime ban for keeping animals, which Hibbert cannot appeal for ten years, he was also sentenced to 12 weeks custody, suspended for 12 months when he appeared before Birmingham Magistrates’ Court. He must also carry out 50 hours unpaid work and 15 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR) days.
Bertie was signed over to RSPCA at the time he was rescued and has since been rehomed. RSPCA Inspector Kate Levesley, who investigated for the charity, said: “Hibbert inflicted appalling and totally unnecessary violence on Bertie.
“Animals deserve to be shown kindness and respect. There is never an excuse for treating an animal in this way.”
