A Dufftown man has been handed 200 hours community service and a 10-year ban on owning and keeping and working any animals following a long and comprehensive Scottish SPCA investigation.
38-year-old Sean Garland of Blackfolds farm, Dufftown pled guilty and was sentenced at Elgin Sheriff Court on 13 June 2024 for keeping three dogs for the purposes of animal fighting and failing to obtain veterinary treatment for facial injuries causing unnecessary suffering to two Patterdale terriers named Midge and Muff.
A Scottish SPCA specialist investigation officer said: “We received a call regarding Garland accusing him of keeping dogs for the purposes of animal fights and in particular using his dogs to bait badgers and other wildlife.
“It was suspected that he was currently in the possession of dogs that had facial injuries who had never been treated by a veterinary surgeon. It is well known to us that persons involved in dog fighting will not have the injuries to their dogs treated by a veterinary surgeon due to fear of being reported to the authorities. This will result in dogs being causing further pain, suffering and risk of infection.
“Due to the immediate and real concern for the welfare of the dogs being kept the premises were searched.
“Within kennels we found a black Patterdale terrier named Muff who was around 12 years of age. She had very obvious facial injuries to her lower lip; nose and chin area. Her upper lip had an old wound that extended up to the nasal area. There were numerous healed marks and scars and old healed injuries around her jaw area, muzzle and nose area. The injuries were consistent with having been caused and inflicted by a badger and fox.
“Within the kitchen area a young brown Patterdale terrier called Midge was found within a small crate. Midge had very obvious facial injuries to her lower lip; chin and muzzle area. Her nose/muzzle area appeared to be distorted with a 'dent' in the middle of her muzzle with deep scarring to the bridge of the nose.
“After a search a bag containing two locating tracker collars and a locating box was found. Dogs are put into the entrance of a badger sett, or fox earth with the intention of pursuing or bolting the animal. They are regularly fitted with electronic tracking collars. The box or tracking finder is then used to determine the depth and location of the dog underground. Once the dog’s location is known, a hole is dug from the surface straight down until the terrier and fox or badger is exposed and killed.
“Terrier dogs can also be used to “bolt” after foxes or badgers, driving them out from their hiding spots and into nets covering the entrance of earths/setts.
“Both dogs were removed from the premises for immediate veterinary treatment to be carried out.
“The vet examined both Muff and Midge and concluded that they would have suffered unnecessarily when the injuries were inflicted and thereafter untreated.
“Both dogs had facial injuries consistent with repeated episodes of face to face combat with wild animals. While some of these injuries may have been fox-related, the more severe facial injuries including lower lip avulsions, missing and damaged teeth and nasal trauma and disfiguration as seen in Midge were more consistent with badger injuries.
“The lip injuries are the results of strong tearing forces when the badger fights back when face to face with the terriers, using teeth and claws. The result is a mixture of puncture and scratch wounds to the head and neck and the front of the dogs in general with severe injuries to the lips and teeth.
“It is likely that both of the dogs had been used for repeated episodes of hunting due to the varying nature and age of wounds noted on examination. As there were wounds of differing ages and they were multiple in nature, it is likely that there was a failure to protect these animals from pain, distress and suffering over a prolonged period of time.
“The third dog was never seen by us but communication seized at the time indicated that the dog had died due to a broken jaw."
Reacting to the sentencing the Scottish SPCA specialist investigator said: “We are satisfied that Garland received a 10-year ban on owning and keeping all animals though we had hoped for a custodial sentence. Both Midge and Muff suffered horrendous injuries that were left untreated and clearly caused them pain and distress over a long period.
“I would also like to thank Karon Rollo, Procurator Fiscal Depute, Wildlife and Environmental Crime Unit for her dedication to this case and to Lucy Webster from SASA (Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture) for assisting with the DNA collecting to show the use of badger and fox DNA in this case.”
Midge and Muff have since been rehomed and are living the life they deserve.
If anyone is concerned about an animal, they can contact our confidential animal helpline on 03000 999 999.
