Prison sentence for Styrian

Dog wanted to protect master and was beaten up

The Stafford bull terrier (symbolic image) has forgiven his master. He waited in front of the court wagging his tail.(Bild: SB Arts Media - stock.adobe.com)

A friend's dog had snatched a Styrian man by the hand. When his own dog defended him, the man brutally beat the four-legged friend. The Styrian, who has several previous convictions, has now been sentenced for this cruelty to animals.

A young woman who was out walking her small dog witnessed the beating and went to the police. "She was very distressed by what had happened and completely upset", the police also noted in their report.

The accused was then sentenced to one year's partial imprisonment (three months in prison) for cruelty to animals at Leoben Regional Court. The Styrian immediately appealed against this.

"He had to de-escalate"
The Graz Higher Regional Court heard the case on Wednesday. The defense lawyer explained that his client should have acted: "His dog defended him, but he had to de-escalate and separate the dogs." The accusation was already massive. Cruelty to animals presupposes torturing, crude mistreatment. "That's not what happened. My client treats his dog well and lovingly."

The senior public prosecutor saw it differently: "There was no attack by the other dog when the defendant hit it on the head with his fist." - "I didn't hit him," the dog's owner affirmed. "I just made sure that I separated the dogs." With the bite wound on his wrist, he could not have hit him at all.

"Witness was shocked"
After deliberation, the panel of judges saw no reason to change the initial verdict. "You hit the dog several times, even afterwards when it was lying on the ground. The witness was so shaken that she went to the police," said presiding judge Sandra Berzkovics, explaining the decision. In addition, there was the burdened past life with twelve partly relevant convictions. "Although you already felt the enforcement, that didn't stop you."

The twelve months in prison, three of which are mandatory, are therefore legally binding. However, the four-legged friend apparently forgave his master for the beating, because he was waiting outside the court with a friend, wagging his tail ...