Elain Beguja with one of her four-legged friends, Shorty the dog. 76494 Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI
By XAVIER SMERDON
A HOPPERS Crossing man has been convicted of animal cruelty after he stole his neighbour’s dog and threw it in a dam.
Wyndham City Council’s Legislative Services team successfully identified, investigated and prosecuted John Black, 72, from Hoppers Crossing for the “callous” crime.
Elain Bugeja, team leader of the Animal Management Team at Wyndham Council, which includes the pound, said a passerby had seen Black throw the dog in the dam on Dukelows Rd in Tarneit on 12 July last year.
“He saw a gentleman get out of his car, open the boot, take something brown out of the boot and throw it over the fence,” Ms Bugeja said.
The good Samaritan noted the make of the car as a rare HQ Holden before fishing the dog, Penny, out of the dam.
The Animal Management Team then traced the car to Black and after a long process of evidence gathering, managed to have him taken to court and convicted on 14 December last year.
It is believed Black dug a hole under his fence and lured the dog through it before dumping it, all because of a dispute over a garage that his neighbour had built.
Ms Beguja said Mr Black constantly denied ever stealing the dog.
“I think he just wanted to get back at the neighbours and the dog was a way of doing that,” she said.
“I think he’s a very cold and callous man. He did not exude any warmth or feeling.”
Black was fined $500 without conviction.
The dog was returned to her owners and they have since moved to Queensland.
