Badger baiter sentenced after dog left with more than 30 puncture wounds from illegal badger baiting.
A man has avoided jail after his dog was found with more than 30 puncture wounds and video footage showed him encouraging two dogs to fight a badger.
Carl Harwood, 27, from Burnley was given a 16-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, after mobile phone footage showed two dogs attacking a badger on the head, throat and back.
The “absolutely horrific” film, which was recorded in June 2021 was described by an RSPCA inspector as “very difficult to watch and to listen to.”
Harwood, of Lowerhouse Lane, was disqualified from keeping any animals for five years after he was sentenced at Blackburn Magistrates Court.
The court heard how the RSPCA visited his home with Lancashire Police and saw his 14-month old bull lurcher Toby being held on a lead.
The dog, who was wearing the same type of collar as that seen in the mobile phone footage, had a significant scar which ran lengthwise along almost the entire length of the top of his head.
On the left hand side of the lower jaw and surrounding area there were 22 individual scarred puncture wounds and on the right hand side there were nine. More recent scarring and scabbing was seen underneath his left hind paw and lower leg.
Harwood told the officers they had been sustained while out lamping and ratting.
Inspector Taylor was concerned about the injuries to Toby and he was seized by the police and taken into RSPCA care and seen by a vet.
He was subsequently microchipped, vaccinated and treated for fleas and worms. The scars on his head, muzzle, throat and chest also became much less visible as the weeks went by.
In her evidence to the court, inspector Taylor described the mobile phone footage.
“It was filmed in the dark but two dogs can be seen attacking a badger as initially, when the recording begins, a bright light can be seen being shone on the animals,” she said.
“The footage is very difficult to watch and to listen to, it is absolutely horrific.
“All the way through the footage the badger can be heard screaming in pain and it is extremely distressed, with the dogs heard panting also.
“At around eight seconds, when Toby has lost interest and has left the badger, a male voice can be heard to say something like ‘here Toby, Toby get it, get it.’
“The dog can then be seen joining the first dog in attacking the badger again.
“The men heard to be present during the recording made no attempt or effort to get the dogs under control and prevent them from fighting and attacking the badger.”
Source: ITV News
