A woman lashed at at a cockerel and left it with brain damage when it woke her up at 3am, a court has heard. Caroline Smith left Eddy unconscious after he crowed in the middle of the night.
Manchester Magistrates Court heard that the 52-year-old was woken up at 3am by this. Smith believed that her neighbour had agreed to get rid of the black araucana cross but had not.
A neighbour saw Smith trying to strangle Eddy and hit him with a boat fender. This knocked the bird unconscious with the neighbour rushing Eddy to the vets.
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Blood was found around the bird's nostrils and the vet found it had suffered a brain injury. The vet also said it was not possible to determine if permanent brain damage had occurred or whether Eddy had been left with a disability.
Eddy survived the injuries but would need close monitoring after this incident.
Smith, of Preston, Lancashire, was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to Eddy and was been banned from keeping birds for four years. She was ordered to pay costs of £1,296 and a victim surcharge of £114.
RSPCA Inspector Taylor said: "There is never an excuse for deliberately harming and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal like this. Smith said that she worked nights and had been disturbed by noise made by Eddy’s owners - especially from their cockerel over the past couple of months. But other solutions could and should have been explored; rather than resorting to treating an animal like this."
