PAIR SENTENCED AFTER DOG THROWN INTO CANAL
A man and a woman have received sentences after they threw a dog into the canal in Brierfield, which was tied inside a plastic bag.Terrence Boyd, aged 34, and Sadie Boyd, aged 32, both residents of Walter Street in Brierfield, appeared before Burnley Magistrates' Court.
They pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal and violating part of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which obligates guardians to ensure the well-being of animals.
The couple was sentenced to eight weeks in prison, although the sentence was suspended for 12 months.
Additionally, they have been banned from owning or keeping animals for a decade.
Their arrest followed an incident in August last year when a Terrier-type dog was found tied in a black plastic bag and thrown into the Leeds and Liverpool Canal in Brierfield.
Emergency services responded to Clitheroe Road that day.
With assistance from the fire service, the RSPCA, and members of the public, the dog, named Maddie, was rescued from the water.
The fire brigade also helped the man who jumped into the canal to retrieve the animal.
The charges specify that on August 27, Terrence and Sadie Boyd caused unnecessary suffering to Maddie by placing her in a black bag and discarding her into the canal.
The second charge states that they failed to take reasonable steps to ensure the welfare of Maddie, along with seven cats and a cornsnake, which they were responsible for, as per accepted good practice standards.
