A ban on keeping animals has been imposed on a couple who abandoned their elderly dog by placing it in a bag and throwing it into a canal.
Terrence Boyd, aged 34, and Sadie Boyd, aged 32, were caught on camera carrying the black bag along Walter Street in Brierfield, Lancashire, on the morning of August 27 last year. The pair then proceeded towards the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, where they disposed of their elderly terrier-type dog, Maddie, into the water inside the bag.
A passerby initially mistook the bag for containing clothes but noticed Maddie’s head emerging and attempted to rescue her. Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service retrieved the pet from the canal, and she received urgent veterinary care.
Maddie, although surviving the ordeal, had to be euthanized due to her deteriorating condition. The Boyds, residents of Walter Street, were each given an eight-week suspended sentence at Burnley Magistrates’ Court on June 24. They were also barred from owning animals for a decade after admitting guilt to mistreating Maddie, the kittens, and the snake, under the Animal Welfare Act.
The court was informed that the couple’s residence was unhygienic, with piles of pet waste scattered upstairs and mice in the kitchen. Veterinary reports revealed Maddie’s dire state, suffering from hypothermia, malnutrition, muscle atrophy, severe dental issues, and neck wounds.
The kittens found at the property were malnourished, with some soaked in urine. Several required warming up, and one, a small female weighing only 735 grams, had to be put down due to welfare concerns.
During their RSPCA interviews, Terrence Boyd declined to comment substantially, while Sadie Boyd denied being at the canal or owning the kittens. The couple was instructed to undergo 20 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement Days and pay a victim surcharge of £154 each. Their disqualification from animal ownership cannot be appealed for five years.
Following the sentencing, RSPCA Chief Inspector Nix expressed gratitude to those who assisted in the case, including members of the public, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, Lancashire Police, and local businesses and residents who provided crucial CCTV footage. The surviving kittens were rehomed, and the neglected corn snake was placed in the care of an exotic specialist. Other animals owned by the Boyds, not involved in the offenses, were also taken in by the RSPCA for rehoming.
