'Fell down the stairs': Dog owner, 19, who lied about his puppy's horrific injuries gets jail

Dontea West spun a web of lies about how his five-month-old bully, Pepsi, had acquired his horrific injuries – one of which was that he 'fell down the stairs' while holding the dog.

The 19-year-old of Hilliards Croft in Great Barr was convicted of five offences under the Animal Welfare Act in a case brought by the RSPCA.

He pleaded guilty to one – of failing to provide vet treatment for the dog's rib fractures – and was found guilty of four more offences following a trial.

The court heard how the RSPCA had been contacted by a member of the public who was concerned for Pepsi's welfare.

Vicki Taylor, an inspector at the animal welfare organisation, attended West's address and described what she saw.

She said in her witness statement: "Pepsi was clearly lame on the back end and was extremely wobbly, his back left leg was not weight-bearing.

"West informed me that he had fallen on the dog when carrying Pepsi down the stairs and injured the dog.

"The front left leg of the dog Pepsi also looked misshapen and abnormally bendy. There was fur loss on the side of the dog, which West stated was a burn as he'd had a hot drink which the dog had knocked over and burned himself with."

Inspector Taylor took Pepsi to RSPCA's animal hospital in Birmingham where X-rays showed multiple rib fractures and a fracture to the left side of his neck, all of which had healed on their own.

A vet witness who investigated the case said in a statement presented to court that Pepsi, while in the care of West, had sustained a number of skeletal fractures on various parts of his body, as well as a scald injury to the right side of the chest which was 'not consistent' with an accidental spillage of a hot drink.

The statement added: "Rib fractures are a common abuse finding in cats and dogs. In animal abuse cases, rib fractures may occur due to focal application of force, which includes the animal being struck, kicked, stomped or thrown against a blunt object. The finding of bilateral rib fractures is a strong suspicious indicator of abuse.

"In my opinion the evidence in this case indicates that a number of diagnostic indicators are satisfied and Pepsi has been caused to suffer as a consequence of physical abuse. Suffering will have been experienced by this animal via mechanisms of fear, distress and pain on a number of occasions."

In sentencing, the judge said she accepted West's diagnoses with various mental health issues but, although they reduced culpability, did not provide him with an excuse. She also accepted that he was remorseful.

Speaking after the sentencing, Inspector Taylor said: "West stated that Pepsi received these injuries accidentally, but following a trial the courts decided otherwise. It is heartbreaking that Pepsi was treated in this way."

Pepsi has since been rehomed.

At Birmingham Crown Court on Monday, West was given a three-month prison sentence and was banned from keeping animals for 10 years.

Separately to the animal-related offences, he was given a further two-month prison sentence for possessing a bladed article, and a one-month prison sentence for assault – both of which will run consecutively to the first sentence.