The Scottish SPCA has welcomed the prison sentence handed down to a man who beat his dog with a golf club, resulting in it later being put to sleep.
Terry Thurling, from Stirling, pled guilty to battering his three-year-old Romanian Shepherd named Griffin with golf club with such force he fractured its skull.
The dog, rescued on April 24 last year after a neighbour heard it “crying for 20 minutes”, was left with such severe injuries it had to be put to sleep.
Thurling was jailed for 19 months and banned from keeping dogs at Stirling Sheriff Court on Wednesday.
Dog’s massive injuries
A Scottish SPCA Inspector said: “On that day Thurling phoned the dog wardens to tell them he had hit his dog and demanded they take the dog away.
“When the dog wardens arrived, they found the dog with blood all over his head.
“They contacted us and we arranged to meet them at a local vet as soon as possible.
“He had a swollen head and eyes, with the third eyelid coming across the eye on the right-hand side, there was blood on the top of the head and lumps on his back.
“The dog appeared in reasonable body condition other than the injuries and was calm and docile.
“The dog who was quiet but responsive and showed no signs of aggression during the handling procedure.
“There was fresh blood over the skull and bridge of his nose and covering his muzzle.
“There was extensive painful swelling over the top of his skull.
“The vet concluded that the dog was hit over the top of the head at least six times with enough force to fracture its skull – he had obviously been subjected to unnecessary suffering.
“A decision was made for the dog to be euthanised on welfare grounds due to the extent of his injuries.”
SSPCA ‘pleased’ by sentencing
The court heard how a neighbour spotted Thurling through his window at his St Ninian’s home, chasing and hitting the dog.
Attending dog wardens saw, in his hallway, a buckled golf club.
Thurling claimed he lost his temper when the dog bit him.
The SSPCA inspector said: “We are pleased at the sentencing.
“Griffin had suffered extensively both physically and mentally at the hands of Thurling and this man should never be allowed to own animals again.”
