A Wirral man has been jailed for four months after drugging and killing his sick dog.
Graham Williams feeding asparin and paracetamol to his German shepherd Yarna before beating her to death with a shovel.
The 11-year-old dog had been suffering from infected mammary tumour which was described as ‘melon sized’ at Wirral Magistrates Court.
Williams, 60, pleaded guilty to two charges of causing unnecessary suffering to the animal last month and was sentenced today.
The judge also disqualified the Birkenhead resident from keeping all animals for life and warned him that only law restrictions prevented a longer sentence being imposed.
RSPCA inspector Anthony Joynes, who investigated the case, said that the beating came to light after a member of the public heard Williams beating the dog and the dog squealing.
He said: “They were so shocked that they dialed 999 immediately.
“The dog, an 11-year-old German shepherd named Yarna, had been suffering with a melon-sized tumour and Williams decided to end things for her.
“He fed her large amounts of aspirin and paracetamol and said this was an attempt to induce an overdose.
“Williams then took the dog outside and beat her multiple times over the head with a shovel, eventually leading to her death.
“It was a brutal and barbaric end to her life at the hands of her owner whose responsibility it was to look after her and protect her from harm.
“It is such a horrible way to die and I can’t even begin to imagine what Yarna’s last moments would have been like.
“The terror and pain she must have felt would have been unbearable.
“This was an incredibly distressing case to deal with but I’m pleased that Yarna’s suffering hasn’t gone unanswered.”