Wellington SPCA is quietly celebrating following the sentencing yesterday of William Kain Campbell who was involved in a sickening dog fight earlier this year. The fight involved Lincoln, a 14 year-old Ridgeback cross breed that he had stolen to use as bait in the fight.
Mr Campbell received a 10 month prison sentence and became the first person in New Zealand to go to jail for dogfighting. He also received a lifetime ban that means he can never own a ‘companion’ animal again. Mr Campbell will also have to pay over $4,000 in costs.
“The sentence is a major achievement for animal welfare in this country, as well as for Wellington SPCA”, said Peter Mason, Wellington SPCA’s Executive Director. “We hope that the sentence sends a strong message to anyone involved in this type of brutal activity that they will be caught and dealt with harshly by the courts.”
The case was brought to the courts through the joint efforts of Wellington SPCA, Porirua Police and Animal Control.
A strong message
Lincoln
In April this year, Campbell unlawfully took Lincoln from a property in Titahi Bay. After transporting him in the boot of his car to a park, he used him as bait for his own dog, Duke, to violently attack.
Judge Geoff Ellis said to Campbell that what he did was ”truly despicable” and that Campbell’s actions were “brutality of the worst kind towards an animal”.
During the fight Campbell not only encouraged his dog to attack Lincoln, but had also physically inflicted further injury by trying to break Lincoln’s hind leg. After the fight, Campbell did not seek veterinary treatment for the injuries inflicted on either dog and abandoned Lincoln at the scene, where he was found cowering in a public toilet.
Traumatic
Both dogs survived the fight but have been left with physical and emotional injuries. The incident has also been very traumatic for Lincoln’s owners;
“They have been very brave throughout their ordeal” commented Ben Lakomy, the Wellington SPCA animal welfare inspector involved with the case. “We hope the knowledge that the man who acted so violently towards their dog has now been held accountable for his actions will enable them to move forward”.
Dukes is being cared for at an animal shelter and will be assessed for adoption.
There has been a great deal of media coverage of the case – there are links below to the news reports from yesterday’s sentencing. Please be aware that the video content is graphic and shows the dogs fighting.
