ROYAL NEW ZEALAND SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS
For release: 17 December 2007

Dog And Six Pups Dumped In River
Pups perish when swept over waterfall

Surviving Pup And The Mother Dog, With Spca Helper, Sinead Boyd

Bay of Islands SPCA is incensed at the cruelty, when a dog and her six pups were thrown over a bridge at Taheke (West of Kaikohe) into a river.

While the mother of the pups managed to swim to shore, at least three of the pups perished when they were swept over a 20 metre waterfall.

Inspector Jim Boyd, said that a man was witnessed throwing the dog and her pups over the side of a bridge on Rakauwahia Road, at Taheke.

Assisted by a neighbour, the witness managed to rescue two of the pups from the pool directly below the bridge. At least three of the pups were, however swept to their deaths, when they plummeted over the 20 metre, waterfall on the swiftly flowing Mangatoa stream.

Mr Boyd said that the man had parked his red Japanese type hatchback car in the middle of the one way bridge, and was seen to take something out of the back and throw it into the stream.

After he had driven off the witness looked to see what had been thrown over, and saw the dog and her puppies in the pool below. By the time she was able to get assistance it was too late for three of the pups.

Two pups that were rescued were taken for veterinary treatment, but had to be put to sleep because of shock.

The following day, after a concerted effort, the mother dog and one remaining pup were caught. Mr Boyd said that the mother was timid, frightened and in shock. She and the remaining pup were recovering in a veterinary hospital.

The offending person is described as a Maori male approximately 50 years of age. At the time, he was wearing jeans and a dark jersey or sweat shirt. His red Japanese hatchback car was described as unusually clean, indicating that it was not normally driven of gravel roads. The offender is believed to have been casually employed on farms in the area.

"This", said Inspector Boyd, "is pre-meditated cruelty. This man has driven to the area with the intent of killing the bitch and pups by drowning them".

The penalty for offences of Wilful Ill-treatment of animals is up to three years imprisonment and/or a fine of $50,000.

ENDS

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