Christchurch violent attack caught on video helps SPCA prosecute man for beating dog

The owner of a dog caught on video hitting his dog with a wooden board was fined $ 1500 and banned from keeping dogs for three years.

The Bolo mastiff was found to have suffered bruising and internal injuries, as well as significant distress after the savage attack in Christchurch last September.

Bolo’s owner, Murray Johnson, admitted the attack and was sentenced in Christchurch District Court today to 150 hours of community service, a $ 1,500 fine payable to SPCA, and disqualified for three years from keeping dogs.

The harrowing incident was seen by a witness who heard a commotion and saw Johnson lifting a wooden board over his head in a neighboring backyard.

The object, later identified as a wooden plank, was thrown with great force on a dog that was screaming in pain. The dog was later identified as Bolo.

Police attended that night and the next day SPCA inspectors carried out a search warrant.

They seized Bolo, a bloody wooden board, and a large splinter of wood.

When the dog was examined by a vet, he was resistant to the full range of motion of the shoulders, had a bleeding wound on his face below the right eye, and a puncture wound on his lower right lip that pushed into a tooth, which needed stitches . .

The tests showed that Bolus had elevated levels of creatine kinase in his blood, reflecting an enormous amount of muscle damage at the time of the trauma. The X-rays also showed that the area around Bolo’s kidneys has likely been subjected to physical trauma.

The vet concluded that Bolo’s suffering was both physical and mental and that the injuries to Bolo’s head and mouth would have been extremely painful due to the large number of nerves there. He also added that Bolo’s size and robust bone structure, being a giant breed dog, likely protected him from more serious injury.

When interviewed, Johnson agreed that he had pushed things too far the night of the incident.

He said that Bolo had walked through a gate and was trying to fight another dog, which stressed the defendant and “lost control” with Bolo, hitting him twice.

SPCA Executive Director Andrea Midgen says that inflicting violence on animals is never appropriate, and is particularly devastating in this case due to the sustained mental and physical pain that Bolo suffered.

“When an animal shows signs of unwanted behavior, physical punishment is not the answer,” he said.

“Instead, an owner should train their dog to respond to positive reinforcement of good behaviors, use lots of praise, and be patient with their animal.”

Bolo’s property has been turned over to the permanent care of SPCA and is now available for adoption.