Terrence Boyd, 34, and Sadie Boyd, 32, from Brierfield, Lancashire, have been banned from keeping animals for 10 years after they were caught on CCTV dumping their elderly terrier-type dog, Maddie, in a bin bag into the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. The couple were sentenced at Burnley Magistrates' Court on June 24, receiving eight weeks in custody, suspended for 12 months, after pleading guilty to two offences under the Animal Welfare Act.
Incident Details
On the morning of August 27 last year, a dog walker saw the couple carrying a black bin bag along Walter Street and throwing it into the canal. The witness initially thought the bag contained clothes, but when Maddie's head emerged, they tried to save her. Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service pulled the dog from the water, and she was rushed for urgent veterinary treatment. The dog was microchipped to Sadie Boyd's address, leading to the couple's arrest later that day.
Animal Welfare Concerns
When officers visited the couple's home, they removed seven kittens and a corn snake. The court heard the house was unsanitary, with large piles of pet faeces upstairs and mice in the kitchen. Maddie, who survived the canal ordeal, had to be euthanized on August 29 after her condition deteriorated. The vet reported she was hypothermic (33.2°C), severely malnourished with muscle atrophy, and had severe dental disease and multiple puncture wounds to her neck. Four of the kittens were hypothermic, and the smallest female, weighing only 735 grams, was put to sleep on welfare grounds. The corn snake was kept in an enclosure with no heating or suitable light.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
Both Terrence and Sadie Boyd denied being at the canal during RSPCA interviews. Terrence claimed there could be "hundreds of people" with similar clothing. The couple were ordered to complete 20 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement Days and pay a victim surcharge of £154 each. They cannot apply to have the 10-year disqualification from keeping animals lifted for five years.
RSPCA Response
RSPCA Chief Inspector Kelly Nix said: "What happened to Maddie was horrifying and this incident was understandably the cause of great distress to people who were at the scene, the emergency services and the wider local community." She thanked everyone who helped, including members of the public, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, and Lancashire Police. The surviving kittens have been rehomed by the RSPCA, and the corn snake was passed to an exotic animal specialist.
