A man accused of causing unnecessary suffering to a dog who was found seriously injured and partially buried, has had his case adjourned to Thursday, May 11.
Peter Toland, 29, of Cornshell Fields, Derry, is charged with
- Three counts of failing to take reasonable steps to ensure the needs of an animal,
- One count of causing unnecessary suffering.
The dog at the centre of the case, a three-year-old American Bull Dog called Luna, was put to sleep by vets due to her poor condition after she was discovered by a member of the public in Ballyarnett Country Park on March 15.
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At a court appearance on March 18, a police constable told Derry Magistrate's Court that at 5pm on Wednesday, March 15, the PSNI received a report from a veterinary clinic after a member of the public discovered Luna still alive in the shallow grave.
The person who found the animal had to dig around the dog as the ground was packed in and two males were seen walking from the area. Police attended and observed the dog to be in an “extremely poor state” and was receiving intensive care.
An officer stated the female dog was severely emaciated, had multiple punctures to her nose and head, her abdomen had collapsed preventing normal breathing and she had also sustained fresh bite injuries and broken teeth. She had been found with a large piece of masonry covering her head.
Despite emergency treatment Luna was unresponsive, and the vet felt that to prevent any further suffering she would have to be humanely put to sleep.
The court heard that police had searched Toland's home and three Whippet type dogs were located in a dog pen which had no bedding, no water and only small amounts of food. A large amount of faecal matter was observed by officers along with a strong smell of urine.
The dogs were removed by police and have been placed in an appropriate facility. Toland later presented himself to police in Derry on March 17, when he was arrested.
A court appearance on April 13 was adjourned at the request of the prosecution to a Magistrates' Court sitting at Londonderry Courthouse Bishop Street Londonderry BT48 6PQ on May 11 at 11am.
Toland remains in custody at Maghaberry Jail, Co Antrim.
A second man arrested by police in March in connection with the discovery of Luna, was released pending further enquiries.
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