A man has been banned from owning dogs for a year after he was caught on camera abusing his two pets and throwing them to the floor.
Grant Smith, 22, was secretly filmed threatening his dogs as they cowered on the balcony of his home in Greenwich.
The video shows Smith repeatedly shouting at the dogs - a male Shar Pei cross called Keylo and a female Jack Russell called Ruby - and, at points, appearing to hit them.
He is seen grabbing Ruby by the scruff of her neck and throwing her back into the apartment behind him.
He then returns to the balcony and picks up Keylo, who is squirming to get free. He holds him high over his head before slamming the terrified dog to the floor of the flat.
Following an RSPCA investigation, Smith, from Flintmill Crescent, was convicted of two counts of animal cruelty at Bexley Magistrates’ Court.
On Thursday he was banned from keeping dogs for a year and given a 12 month community order as well as being ordered to pay £200 in costs and an £85 victim surcharge.
RSPCA inspector Nick Wheelhouse, who investigated the case, said: “Smith claimed in his defence that this is how mothers treat their puppies, but his behaviour clearly went beyond the boundaries of acceptable treatment and that was reflected in the court’s decision to convict him of two offences.”
Smith was found guilty of failing to meet his dogs’ need to be protected from pain suffering, injury or disease by his threatening behaviour and rough handling, contrary to section 9 of the Animal Welfare Act.
He was also convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to Keylo, contrary to section 4 of the Animal Welfare Act.
The bench found no judgement on two further welfare allegations under section 9 of the Animal Welfare Act.
Magistrates also issued a deprivation order relating to Keylo and Ruby who will hopefully be rehomed by the RSPCA in due course.
