Dog killer escapes conviction

Robert Edward Bennett, 61, of Park Street, Molong, pleaded guilty to committing an act of cruelty upon an animal before Orange Local Court yesterday.

The one-year-old kelpie-Jack Russell cross, Mac, belonged to Bennett’s neighbours and their four children aged between two and 12.

The dog had been raised by the family.

It went missing earlier this year.

On Friday, June 25, Mac’s owners were sitting on their front verandah drinking coffee when they heard two gunshots.

After the first shot, the couple heard what sounded like a dog yelping.

Later, their 12-year-old son went searching for Mac and asked Bennett if he’d seen the missing dog.

According to a statement of police facts, Bennett replied: “Come over and have a seat boy. He’s over there, very dead.”

Bennett showed the boy a trap he’d set that contained Mac, who had two gunshot wounds to the head.

The boy climbed into the trap, picked up the dead dog and, covered in blood, carried him home crying hysterically.

His mother contacted the police.

During an interview with police, Bennett complained he’d come home a month earlier and found several of his chickens dead and suspected Mac was to blame.

Police argued there was no evidence to suggest the dog was responsible and pointed out Bennett did not contact police, council officers or rangers about the death of his chickens.

During the interview, police reported Bennett “did not seem to see the problem with trapping the neighbours’ dog and killing it”.

Solicitor Bob Rogers told magistrate Terry Lucas the incident was out of character for his client.

“He has never been before the court before and until a couple of weeks ago had never been inside a court room,” Mr Rogers said. “He is a man brought up in rural NSW all his life and as a result has certain traits of living on a rural property.

“Mr Bennett knows now and should have known then he had other options available to him other than the one he took.”

Mr Lucas said Bennett’s actions were unacceptable.

“That may well have been an acceptable practice 20 to 30 years ago,” he said. “These days it is not.”

Bennett was placed on a good behaviour bond for 12 months and ordered to pay $79 court costs. Mr Lucas warned Bennett he could be handed a custodial sentence if he breaks the bond.

Bennett has offered to buy his neighbours a new dog.