Handler jailed after dogs die in hot van
A DOG-HANDLER has been jailed after his two pet dogs died in a van on one of the hottest days of last year.
Lee Ellerton, aged 37, locked German shepherd Duke and Belgian shepherd Sky in his van in Abbey Hulton for at least an hour while he went out with his girlfriend on July 1.
The RSPCA was called out and inspectors found Sky dead inside the van and Duke dying.
They had suffered severe heatstroke and died from organ failure as outside temperatures soared to 32ºC.
Ellerton, of Riley Street North, Burslem, has been jailed for 12 weeks and banned from keeping dogs for life.
He immediately lodged an appeal against his conviction and sentence and is expected to appear before Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court next month.
North Staffordshire Magistrates heard yesterday that Ellerton, who was last week convicted of two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and four counts of not taking reasonable care of an animal, was no longer working for specialist dog-handling company Alpha K-9. Natalie Matranga, defending, urged magistrates to set aside their emotions when sentencing Ellerton.
She said: "This case was widely reported and is the type of case which causes emotions to run high.
"He maintains the dogs were only left in the van for a short period of time which is borne out in the report of the veterinary surgeon.
"There was no intention to cause any harm to the animals and he did try to help care for them when the RSPCA arrived and the back of the van was opened.
"There was an emotional bond between him and the animals and he is devastated by what happened.
"He kept the animals in the van because he thought they would be OK and that their needs were going to be met."
The magistrates ruled Ellerton cannot apply to lift his ban on keeping animals for at least a year.
Magistrate Phillip Lee told Ellerton: "This is an appalling case of neglect.
"Both dogs suffered in a terrible way when in the van and had to be put down.
"You caused the death of these animals."
RSPCA officials today urged people to leave their animals at home rather than put them in vehicles during hot weather.
RSPCA inspector Julie Lyons said: "The sentence sends out a clear signal that this behaviour will not to be tolerated.
"It is totally unacceptable. The dogs suffered in a terrible way when they could have easily been returned to the property."
4 Comments
by Sharon, Newcastle
Thursday, January 28 2010, 4:57PM
“He should have got a lot longer stuff him in a van on a hot day and see how he likes it he should be made to pay for the cruelty he caused to thoughs poor dogs”
by Dylan, Staffs
Thursday, January 28 2010, 3:42PM
“I guess that when people keep dogs purely for use as weapons that they'll simply be treated as a disposable commodity,as has been proved in this case.”
by Unknown, Scotland
Thursday, January 28 2010, 2:45PM
“He should have got longer.. & its not just animals he should be kept away from , this man is a very selfish evil man who thinks only of himself, When he had the other two dogs he did nothing to look after them and kept them locked up in a very small kitchen for days on end... he would never walk them and if they were lucky they got into the garden... they were poorly looked after , but then he doesnt look after himself very well and sadly my life will never be the same after knowing him... i hope he gets what he deserves and i hope he never gets to have another pet of any kind...”
by Andrew Cooper, Newcastle
Thursday, January 28 2010, 11:30AM
“What a monster this man is, I don't dare try to imagine how those poor dogs felt in their final minutes.
In the days of soft sentencing and criminals rights, it's great to see the hollow words of a greedy fat cat legal aid lawyer falling on deaf ears for once. Bravo magistrate Philip Lee”