Couple caught on CCTV dumping dog in bin bag into a canal banned from owning pets

Couple caught on CCTV dumping dog in bin bag into a canal banned from owning pets Terrence and Sadie Boyd, from Lancashire, were seen by a dog walker throwing their pet, who was inside a bin bag, in the Leeds and Liverpool Canal A couple who dumped their elderly dog, which they put in a bin bag, in a canal have been banned from keeping animals. Terrence Boyd, 34, and Sadie Boyd, 32, were captured on CCTV carrying the black along Walter Street in Brierfield, Lancashire, in the morning of August 27 last year. The pair then went towards the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, where their elderly terrier-type dog, Maddie, had been dumped into the water inside the bag. A dog walker who saw the couple dump the bag in the canal but initially assumed it was full of clothes then tried to save Maddie when her head appeared. Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service then pulled the pet from the canal and she was taken for urgent veterinary treatment. The dog was microchipped to Sadie Boyd’s address and the couple were arrested at their home later that day. Seven kittens and a corn snake were removed from the couple's property when officers visited, LancsLive reports. While Maddie survived the cruel incident, she had to be put down by vets after her condition deteriorated. The couple, both of Walter Street, were each sentenced to eight weeks in custody, suspended for 12 months, when they appeared at Burnley Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, June 24. They were also banned from keeping animals for 10 years after pleading guilty to two offences under the Animal Welfare Act relating to Maddie, the kittens and the snake. The court heard the pair's house was unsanitary, with large piles of pet faeces seen upstairs and mice running around the kitchen. The vet who treated Maddie stated in her written evidence to the court: "On clinical examination, Maddie was hypothermic, with a temperature of 33.2°C (91.8°F). She was severely malnourished, with significant muscle atrophy." The vet said Maddie also had severe dental disease and multiple puncture wounds to her neck. Sadly her condition did not improve despite treatment, and by August 29 she appeared to be really struggling to walk and starting to display more abnormal neurological symptoms. The court was told the vets treating her made the sad decision to put her to sleep to prevent further suffering. All seven kittens removed from the address were malnourished and some of them were urine-soaked. Four of them were hypothermic on presentation and needed warming up. The smallest female, weighing only 735 grams (26oz), was recumbent and about to have a seizure and was put to sleep by the vet on welfare grounds. In his interview with the RSPCA, Terrence Boyd said he had mostly no comment to make and there could be "hundreds of people" walking around with dark clothes and a beard in similar clothes. Sadie Boyd also said she had no comment and denied being at the canal that morning or owning the kittens. The couple were both ordered to complete 20 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement Days and pay a victim surcharge of £154 each. They will not be able to apply to have their disqualification order terminated for five years. Speaking after sentencing, RSPCA Chief Inspector Nix said: "What happened to Maddie was horrifying and this incident was understandably the cause of great distress to people who were at the scene, the emergency services and the wider local community. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone who came together and showed nothing but kindness towards Maddie. "This includes members of the public who intervened, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service for their assistance at the scene, Lancashire Police for ensuring Maddie and other animals received urgent veterinary treatment, and businesses and residents who provided the RSPCA with invaluable CCTV footage. "It was heartbreaking that Maddie’s condition deteriorated and she ultimately could not be saved. I hope people will take some small comfort in the fact that those responsible for this shocking incident were able to be held to account for their actions and will not be able to keep animals for the foreseeable future." A corn snake who was cold and living in an enclosure with no heating or suitable light at the couple’s property, was passed into the care of an exotic specialist. The surviving kittens were rehomed by the RSPCA. Other animals owned by Terrence and Sadie Boyd, including adult cats, who were not subject to any of the offences, were also taken into the charity’s care for rehoming.