A cruel farmer who told people "I'll do what I want" as he dragged his white husky along the road by tying it to his car has avoided jail time.
Kim Norman Rendall was filmed dragging his white husky Daisy for about 200 metres while she was tied with a rope in High Littleton, near Bath. Several drivers witnessed the horrifying scene and tried to stop Rendall, 65, by honking their horns and flashing their lights at his red Nissan Micra.
North Somerset Magistrates' Court heard that one of the motorists shouted "dog, dog" out of a window, which led a woman to flag the car down. Rendall stopped and was quickly confronted by upset locals as Daisy bled onto the road and tried to stand up.
READ MORE: Farmer tied husky to car before dragging her along road saying 'I'll do what I want'
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One woman offered to take Daisy to the vet for urgent care if he wasn't going to. He responded with a smirk and a laugh, saying: "I'll do what I want, it's my dog."
Prosectutor Gregory Gordon told the court that she had "fresh and deep" wounds, including "degloved paws" – described as "traumatic erosion of the skin" and "full thickness skin loss" to her hind legs. However, Rendall refused to tell police where he had dumped his poorly when they turned up at his home – to find him enjoying a cup of tea and a haircut.
Eighteen cops and a drone searched for the dog and found her two hours and 30 minutes later, tethered by her neck in a barn used by Rendall for his cows – dumped with no food and water. Sadly, Daisy was left severely injured that she had to put to sleep nine days later as she failed to recover and her pain couldn't be managed.
Now, the 65-year-old has avoided jail for the cruel acts as he appeared at Bristol Crown Court for sentencing on December 12. He had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to two counts of causing the unnecessary suffering of an animal contrary to the Animal Welfare Act.
Rendall was given eight months in prison, suspended for two years, 300 hours of unpaid work alongside a 20 year disqualification from having or keeping animals with the exception of cattle, and fish. He was also ordered to pay ยฃ5k costs.
Charles Row, defending, said that his client is a "private independent man who doesn't easily socialise" and has "deficits in thinking processes and cognitive abilities". He added that Daisy was "well groomed, well fed, well cared for" – stating that there was no evidence of prolonged neglect.
Mr Row said the "deaf" defendant was described as aggressive and rude by witnesses during the incident, but claimed it was due to a "mixture of him not hearing and not comprehending". He added that Rendall earns ยฃ12,000 a year farming cattle and keeps koi carp – asking for any animal disqualification to exclude both.
However, in his sentencing remarks, Judge Michael Longman said the defendant had shown a "high degree of recklessness" in his actions. He said the excuse of social awkwardness "does not begin to explain or mitigate your behavour" as even if he had not realised the extent of Daisy's injuries by the time he drove off he had still showed an "arrogant distain" towards her.
The judge also described obstructing the police who were trying to get medical help for the dog as '"truly dreadful" and added: "I don't believe that you were devastated. You showed a deliberate disregard for Daisy's welfare in failing to seek treatment."
PC Natalie Cosgrove also described Daisy's injuries as "the worst thing I have ever seen" and it made her "feel physically sick". She told the court in a statement: "I felt shocked, I couldn't sleep and I cried… I hugged my own dog crying in sympathy for Daisy."
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She added that the dog's suffering was "something that cannot be described" and said she was "traumatised" when Rendall smirked in his police interview. "I just felt incredibly sorry for her, that a human let her down so badly. This is one of those jobs that will haunt me forever," she added.
Speaking after the case, RSPCA Inspector Kim Walters, who investigated for the charity, said: "Daisy was in desperate need of veterinary treatment but Rendall repeatedly refused to tell police where he'd hidden her, instead choosing to leave her to suffer with severe injuries while he had his hair cut and enjoyed a cup of tea. Pets are completely reliant on their owners to ensure their needs are met and they are kept safe and healthy.
"Ensuring animals are kept safe from injury while travelling in a vehicle and providing appropriate veterinary care is a key part of the responsibility we have towards our pets. It's so sad that, in this instance, that responsbility was not met."
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