Brighouse man handed five year ban for causing his pet dog to suffer

Jordan Will Townend, 23, of Whinney Hill Park, Brighouse, Huddersfield was sentenced at Bradford Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to two animal welfare offences at an earlier hearing.

The first offence was for causing unnecessary suffering to his Bedlington terrier type dog called Odi by failing to give him pain relief which had been prescribed by a vet following a fracture to the dog's leg.

The second offence related to failing to protect Odi from pain, suffering, injury and disease. Both offences are contrary to the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

The court heard how Odi had previously sustained a broken hind leg in suspicious circumstances.

Vets operated on Odi to repair his leg but after the operation Townend only gave Odi the prescribed medication and pain relief on one or two occasions meaning his dog would have experienced suffering for a week following surgery.

While Odi was still recovering from surgery, Townend then allowed him to escape and during this episode Odi damaged his leg further.

A vet found his damaged limb was swollen and painful and the pins in the metal frame that had been used to surgically repair his fracture were bent and protruding.

RSPCA Inspector Rebecca Goulding took Odi to the RSPCA’s Greater Manchester Animal Hospital where vets found a series of injuries suggesting a long term pattern of abuse. X-rays of Odi revealed, in addition to his fractured tibia, he also had an older rib fracture and fracture of the spinous process raising suspicion of trauma occurring on more than one occasion. She also found Odi had bruising to his right ear.

In addition to the five year disqualification from keeping all animals, magistrates also sentenced Townend to a 12-month conditional discharge.

Odi received treatment and care at the RSPCA hospital and was discharged once his limb fracture had fully healed. He has since been rehomed to a loving new family.