Dog Handler is Jailed for Cruelty

Dog Handler is Jailed for Cruelty

A professional dog handler has been handed a life ban for keeping all animals and 12 weeks in prison after he left two dogs locked in a van on one of the hottest days of the year.

Lee Ellerton, 37, of Riley Street North in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent was sentenced today (January 27) at Fenton Magistrates Court for causing unnecessary suffering to two dogs.

He had denied the charges but magistrates found him guilty of six charges under the Animal Welfare Act.

Mr Ellerton, who worked for a security firm, had left the dogs in his van during 30 degree heat on July 1 last year. A member of the public called the RSPCA and inspectors were immediately sent to the van which was parked in Holehouse Road, Abbey Hulton.

Inspector Julie Lyons arrived shortly afterwards but sadly one of the dogs, a tan German Shepherd named Sky, had already died and was in rigor-mortis.

The second dog, a black and tan German Shepherd called Duke, had collapsed and was unable to move. He was taken to a vet and despite a desperate attempt to revive him, an independent vet put him to sleep later that day to prevent further suffering.

Mr Ellerton said that the dogs had been left in the vehicle for about an hour but witness statements said this could have been up to four hours.

Vets confirmed that both the dogs suffered undue stress and preventable deaths due to hyperthermia and heatstroke.

Insp Lyons said: “Although I am sure Mr Ellerton never intended his dogs to suffer in this way, I found this whole situation to be wholly unacceptable. Mr Ellerton is a professional dog handler and should not under any circumstances have left the dogs in the van. This incident was very, very distressing to deal with.

“This sentence sends out the clear signal that such behaviour is not acceptable. We have repeatedly asked members of the public not to take their animals out if they are going to be leaving them on a hot day.

“These two dogs sadly paid the ultimate price for their owner’s lack of common sense.”
http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk...l/article.html

i'm shocked and so sad by this report. these 2 dogs died because of this idiots incompetency and lack of care. i just hope there are some big, burly dog lovers in the prison he is in.

warning. the pictures are very distressing.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...eatstroke.html

I'll probably get this on my news feed at work today but what's the jist? I can't bear to look at the article.

I am glad he has been jailed. Those poor dogs why will people not realize the stress and pain they cause by doing this.

Wonder how he would like to be cooked alive from the inside ?

he left his dogs in the back of a van on the hottest day of the summer last year. no air conditioning, nothing. the female was dead when the RSPCA arrived and although the male was still alive but had collasped, he later had to be pts as he was too far gone.

the sight of his 'owner' laying on the floor beside him apparently upset, just doesn't do it for me i'm afraid. you don't leave dogs in the car when it's hot, full stop.

the owner has been jailed for 3 months but he'll probably be out within a few weeks.

those dogs should never ever have died.

shame that wasn't his sentence. justice would truly be served then.

does anyone know what happend to the police man that left his dogs in the van resulting in both of them dieing?

I wonder if he also got a jail sentence?

its beyond believe that this man and a police man who new the risk they were taking could be so stupid and thoughtless given there experiance in dogs.

well done on the jail sentence, I just wonder if the police officer got off a bit lighter?

Doesn't do it for me either - I suspect sympathy vote - boo hoo loke at my poor dogs (picture looks posed) - THAT I HAVE KILLED

Very sad, those poor dogs. Although the man was a stupid idiot I don't think for one minute it was done deliberately. A very, very hefty fine would have been better than a jail sentence, our jails are already overcrowded, so a lot of scum are not sent to prison. Now if it was a despicable puppy farmer whose dogs suffer day after day after being kept in dreadful conditions just to earn them money, I would be happy to see them in jail.

people leave their dogs in the car all the time in the heat and I just dont understand how they can be so stupid quite honestly.

How many times to people need to be reminded of it.

I witnessed an argument between a man and a woman last year in tesco car park, as the woman was leaving her dogs in the car with NO windows open even, it was boiling, and the man was telling her not to ( he was just walking past and spoke to her) and she started screaming at him that it was none of his business - absolutely ridiculous .... even when told she wouldnt do anything about it.

so sad when will people learn... would they leave a child for that long in such heat?? im sure they wouldnt, so why do it to dogs... some people are such idiots...

run free sky and duke xx