Middlesbrough dog owner caught whipping and kicking Labrador on Ring doorbell

A man has been banned from keeping dogs for a decade after being filmed on a Ring doorbell abusing his pet dog.

Keith Williams was filmed threatening to kill his Labrador Scooby after it went to the toilet in a street in Middlesbrough.

He was also seen kicking the animal with force and hitting him with the end of the lead five times, animal charity the RSPCA said.

Footage from two incidents on 10 and 17 March was passed to charity, which investigated the case.

Teesside Magistrates' Court heard RSPCA inspector Clare Wilson visited Williams’ house in Westmorland Road, Middlesbrough, on 27 March.

Scooby, who seemed to respond more to the name Rambo, was seized as evidence by the police and taken by the inspector for a veterinary examination before being placed in a private boarding establishment. At that point, Williams declined to sign his dog over into the care of the charity and said he wanted him back.

The video footage was passed to a vet who also provided evidence in the case. He said it was his opinion that the defendant had handled the dog inappropriately and caused him to suffer.

“The actions of the owner have caused the dog suffering via pain and fear, even if only for a transient period. The owner also did not protect the dog from injury,” he said.

“Examination by a veterinary surgeon ten days later did not reveal any signs of lameness, bruising or injury to the dog, but these findings do not indicate an absence of injury. Blunt force trauma to a dog can result in pain, bruising and injury which may resolve within three to five days. Therefore an examination would not necessarily identify injury and bruising that had occurred ten days earlier.”

Williams, 60, pleaded guilty to two animal welfare offences and was banned from keeping dogs for 10 years.

He was also sentenced to a 12-month community order and told to pay costs of £2,214.

Williams apologised for his actions.

Speaking after the conclusion of the case, Inspector Wilson said: “The defendant’s behaviour towards his pet was totally unnecessary and unacceptable. Scooby could neither escape nor defend himself from being assaulted and we’re grateful to the person that alerted us and enabled Mr Williams to be held accountable for his actions."

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