Man Admits Keeping Dogs for Fighting
CROWN OFFICE AND PROCURATOR FISCAL SERVICE
NEWS RELEASE
26 JANUARY 2012
MAN ADMITS KEEPING DOGS FOR FIGHTING
At Lanark Sheriff Court today, Andrew Mullen pled guilty to keeping five dogs for the purposes of animal fighting, contrary to the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, section 23(1)(a).
Mullen, from Uddingston, Lanarkshire, was also found to have 340 photographs on a laptop showing dogs fighting with foxes, badgers and other dogs.
The offences took place between 1 January 2009 and 31 March 2010 at his home in Uddingston.
Area Procurator Fiscal Tom Dysart, the COPFS lead on wildlife and environmental crime, said:
"The dogs found in Mullen's garden had multiple injuries and scars which showed they had been involved in recent and historic fights with badgers and foxes.
"Dogs used for animal fights suffer terrible injuries some of which can be fatal. They rarely receive appropriate veterinary treatment.
"The animals who are set upon by these dogs also suffer dreadful injuries, if they are not killed outright. Badgers in particular are given special protection by law, which makes attacks on them even more heinous.
"In pleading guilty, Mullen has accepted his disregard for the well-being of his dogs and of the animals with which they could be forced to fight.
"Welfare laws exist to protect our animals and Scotland's prosecutors will take robust action against anyone who flouts them. Neither will offences against Scotland's wildlife be tolerated and perpetrators can expect to find themselves in court."
Note to editors
1. Andrew Mullen, DOB 09-11-1974, is unemployed. A warrant to search his home in Uddingston was granted on 30 March 2010 following information from the SSPCA. On 31 March 2010, SSPCA officers and Strathclyde Police officers attended at the property and carried out the search. A number of items were seized, including a Toshiba laptop found on a chest of drawers in the bedroom. The laptop was found to contain 340 images showing the organised baiting of dogs onto foxes, deer and badgers. The photos showed Mullen, who is unemployed, and other unknown associates digging and causing terriers and lurchers dogs to fight with various animals, including badgers, on numerous occasions. Dead foxes are held up by the accused, or laid out on the ground, apparently as trophies.
Five dogs were found in kennels in the back garden; three lurchers, a brown terrier-type puppy, and a terrier bitch. The dogs were seized and taken to Lamond Veterinary Clinic and were examined by a vet. At least three of the dogs had injuries or scarring from injuries consistent with, or indicating repeated involvement in, fox or badger fighting. One of these dog's injuries were specific to badger fighting and were a few weeks old. Mullen said that he kept the dogs as pets and to show. He denied that he actively used his dogs to fight badgers, but accepted that he allowed others to use them and that he knew the dogs he kept were to be used on badgers. Photographs on his computer show his dogs attacking badgers. The dogs were seized in the search and kept by the SSPCA pending the outcome of the trial.
2. Sentence has been deferred to 1 March 2012 at Lanark Sheriff Court.
3. Photographs are available from Communications on 0844 561 3984.
Communications
0844 561 3984