Killer Of Dog Has Jail Time Dropped

Newcastle Herald

Wednesday October 31, 2007

GR

A BIOLOGY teacher who shot dead a dog after it entered the yard of his Nords Wharf home was ordered yesterday to do 150 hours' community service.

Guy William Wood had been sentenced in Belmont Local Court last week to 14 days' jail on a charge of aggravated animal cruelty to Butch, a two-year-old desexed, microchipped and registered American Staffordshire bull terrier dog.

In setting aside the jail term, Judge Anthony Blackmore said during the Newcastle District Court appeal that it was not Wood's intention to cause long-term cruelty.

He recommended that Wood's firearm licence be reviewed.

Janet Sandstrom, the mother of the dog's owner, said Butch had been tied up and had slipped his collar.

She thought the community service penalty was insufficient and that it should have been accompanied by a substantial fine.

Mrs Sandstrom suggested that Wood should have to do the community service helping at an RSPCA animal shelter, "seeing that he has taken the life of someone's pet".

A contrite Wood told The Herald later that shooting the dog was "probably the worst decision I have ever made I just hugely regret it."

Mr Wood, a teacher at Belmont Christian College, said he also regretted the upset his actions had caused in the Nords Wharf community.

"I would like to put it behind me and just get on with doing a good job at work, and being a valuable member of the community," he said.

Wood, 49, of Government Road, pleaded guilty to having committed an act of aggravated cruelty on the dog early on July 12.

In evidence yesterday, Wood said the dog had entered his yard while he was working on a granny flat in the backyard.

He had sent the dog away but it returned and he slipped a chain over its head by giving it a piece of bacon.

He put the dog, and his rifle with target ammunition, into his car and drove into bush. He took the animal into a gully and tried to fire the rifle but failed.

Wood said he fired the reloaded gun and "I have got no idea why it did not fall down dead".

He fired the gun again and the animal died instantly.

He had then fired a third bullet into the dog's head before concealing the animal under some bushes.

© 2007 Newcastle Herald

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