Man guilty after puppy was dragged behind ute

Jarrod Wharekawa pleaded guilty at Tauranga District Court to prolonging his dog's suffering. Photo / Supplied

A puppy was severely injured when it fell off the back of its owner's ute and was dragged along a road.

Temtem, a 5-month-old staffordshire terrier crossbreed, had to be seized by the SPCA and euthanised last year after suffering injuries that included a flesh wound so deep it exposed a broken bone.

Temtem's owner, Jarrod Wharekawa, 37, was yesterday sentenced to 200 hours' community work and to pay $637 when he pleaded guilty to two charges in Tauranga District Court for failing to protect his puppy from significant injury and for keeping the puppy alive when it was suffering unreasonable pain or distress.

The incident happened on September 3, when Wharekawa tied Temtem onto the back of his ute and drove away.

When he noticed the puppy had fallen and was being dragged, he took his pet to a vet clinic but refused advice that it be euthanised, said Tauranga SPCA Inspector Jason Blair.

"... the veterinarian observed that the flesh on its right hind leg had been ripped open to expose the bone, which had been snapped in two.

"Tendons were severed or missing and the bone had been ground down significantly by the road surface. The skin on the puppy's rear and other places on its body had been rubbed raw, exposing the flesh underneath.

"The veterinarian suspected the pelvis was also fractured."

Mr Blair said Wharekawa refused to accept the veterinarian's advice that euthanasia was the best option to end the puppy's suffering and the dog was released under the condition it was returned in the morning for further assessment.

When he failed to return, the clinic reported the incident to the SPCA and Mr Blair visited Wharekawa's property.

He was told the puppy had died, but applied for a search warrant and returned the next day to find the puppy still alive.

Temtem was euthanised and radiographs showed both hind legs and the pelvis were fractured.

Mr Blair said the case is an example of an otherwise compassionate and responsible dog owner placing his puppy at risk by transporting him unsecured on the back of a vehicle and failing in his obligation to end the puppy's suffering when severe injury occurred.

"The owner obviously didn't wish his puppy to be injured in the first place and his reluctance to return to the vet clinic may have been due to his not being able to face having his pet euthanised," says Mr Blair.

"This does not, however, change the resulting severe suffering of the animal. Animal owners must be aware that they have a duty of care and protection over their animals and a responsibility to alleviate the pain of a suffering animal.

"The owner's failings in this case were inexcusable and charges were laid accordingly."

Royal New Zealand SPCA chief executive Ric Odom said the organisation and veterinarians saw the consequences of animals falling from moving vehicles too often.

"Society has moved on from travelling with unrestrained children in the back of vehicles and we now need to extend the same sort of consideration to the safety of our animals. A 'she'll be right' attitude can no longer tolerated when it comes to the transportation of animals on utes and other vehicles," he said.