An Auckland man has been sentenced to 200 hours of community service and prohibited from owning a dog for three years after letting his dog suffer from a maggot-infested wound that eventually led to the animal's death.
On Wednesday, Weera Nuanchaidee was sentenced in the Manukau District Court where he pleaded guilty to a charge under the 1999 Animal Welfare Act of failing to ensure his dog received treatment, which reduced any unnecessary pain or discomfort.
Nuanchiadee owned a male pit bull terrier called 'Bronx', which was discovered by SPCA inspectors after they were called to his property back in March 2020.
"The dog was in a kennel at the back of the property, hunched over and showing signs of distress. The Inspectors noticed a putrid smell coming from the dog and could see a wound on his groin area. The wound was swollen, infected and maggots were clearly visible," the SPCA said.
According to the SPCA, the distressed dog was taken to a vet for treatment, where they reported 'Bronx' was severely underweight and had suffered various other wounds - including a puncture wound from a dog bite.
The vet told the SPCA Bronx's groin wound was at least a week old because of the severity of the infection and the maggots were adult ones. The defendant said he knew of the dog's wounds but could not afford to take it to the vet.
SPCA chief executive Andrea Midgen said Bronx's infected wounds were some of the worst she's seen and made her stomach churn.
Warning: The below image may disturb some people.
"I've seen the images of Bronx's wounds and they are simply horrific… as a dog owner, it's unthinkable to me that the defendant not only allowed their pet to suffer in this ghastly state but that they didn’t even try to seek vet treatment.
The SPCA said despite the vet's best efforts to try and save the dog, his wounds were too severe and he had to be put down.
Midgen said the SPCA understands vet bills can be expensive but action should've been taken sooner.
"We understand that sometimes pet owners might not be able to afford unexpected vet bills but seeking treatment when your pet is unwell is a key aspect of being a responsible pet owner and it’s your legal responsibility to do so. At the end of the day, there's absolutely no excuse for allowing an animal to reach this state of neglect."
The defendant was also ordered to pay $345.59 in damages.
