Orana Mid-Western Police have charged a Wellington man with aggravated animal cruelty following an extensive investigation into the death of a cross Staffordshire Terrier on Tuesday, November 13.
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Several people contacted police after hearing the ‘agonised screams’ of the dog and when police responded they found the dog’s body in a wheelie bin after following a substantial blood trail.
Police retrieved the body of the dog and collected other items from the scene in order to conduct a forensic examination.
Post-mortem examinations revealed the dog had suffered several horrific head injuries which led to its death.
"There is no doubt this poor animal suffered a prolonged and agonising death,” a police spokesperson said.
“Police reflect the feeling of most in our community, finding such displays of animal cruelty, abhorrent and abnormal.”
“This poor animal, that no doubt had unquestioning trust in its owner, and certainly not in a position to defend itself, was intentionally and viciously destroyed in what police are alleging to be a fit of rage and frustration."
The 43 year old owner of the dog was arrested at Wellington Police station on Wednesday, November 28 and charged with a range of offences including committing an act of aggravated cruelty and beating/torturing an animal to death.
He was granted conditional bail and is expected to appear in Wellington Local Court on Tuesday, January 22.
The owner of the house where the dog’s body was found could not be raised.
