Dog put to sleep after horrific abuse from owner caught on camera

A man was caught on camera abusing his pet dog, which he callously left with fractured ribs, a dislocated tail and scabbed skin.

Elderly dog Buster, a staffordshire bull terrier, who was later put to sleep, had been deliberately shut in a door and abused by his owner Wayne Grogan, 43, at his home on Anderton Grove in Ashton-under-Lyne.

He was caught out after his actions were filmed by two people who had set up a camera, after hearing and witnessing him physically abusing the dog. The videos, taken on March 6 and 7 2023, were later handed to the RSPCA who began investigating.

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Magistrates were told that RSPCA Inspector Ryan King, accompanied by two police officers, had gone to Grogan’s house on 20 March last year. In his written statement to the court the Inspector said: “I saw a black/dark brindle Staffordshire bull terrier, which also matched the dog I had seen in the videos. The dog appeared elderly and was slightly underweight.

“He seemed slow and a little unsteady on his feet and would catch his paws on the ground as if he was struggling to pick them up properly. He had flaky skin and a small scabbed area on his back.

“Grogan informed me that the dog was called Buster and he was around ten to 12 years old. I explained to him that the RSPCA had been provided with video evidence of him allegedly mistreating his dog and I believed offences may have been committed under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.”

Grogan was arrested and taken into custody as Buster was moved to the RSPCA's Greater Manchester Animal Hospital where he was examined. X-rays revealed Buster had skeletal injuries as a result of previous blunt force trauma, including two fractured ribs on his left side and two dislocated vertebrae in his tail. There was evidence of callus formation on a further five vertebrae.

Buster also had patches of fur loss on his tail and rump and an untreated eye condition that had caused swelling and inflammation of the eye membranes and mucus discharge.

In a written statement, the vet who gave evidence in the case, said: “The x-rays indicate that Buster had been subjected to a number of episodes of blunt force trauma that had resulted in significant skeletal injury prior to the production of the video footage.

“In my opinion Buster has been caused to suffer as a consequence of physical abuse. Suffering will have been experienced by this animal via mechanisms of fear, distress and pain for a variable period on a number of occasions.

“He has also been caused to suffer due to the person responsible for his welfare failing to seek prompt veterinary advice regarding the two rib fractures which would have manifest as displays of chest pain. Suffering will have been experienced by this animal via mechanisms of pain for a period of at least ten days, possibly longer.

“His needs have not been met to the extent required by good practice due to the person responsible for the welfare of this animal failing to handle him in an appropriate manner, thereby failing to protect him from injury, pain and suffering.”

Grogan was interviewed by the RSPCA, where he claimed he had never intentionally harmed Buster or kicked him. In response to the first video he said his own leg had come out and he had accidentally caught the dog in the door - but it was the only time it had happened.

In the second clip he claimed he was trying to get into the house at the same time as Buster and that his leg had ‘swung out’ and made contact with the dog. He said after the incidents with the door he had stroked Buster to make sure he was ok and the dog was fine.

In mitigation, the court heard that Grogan had had a stroke. He had entered an early guilty plea to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.

At Tameside Magistrates' Court on October 23, he was handed a 12-week prison sentence, suspended for two years, banned from keeping animals for ten years and also ordered to pay £400 in costs and complete five Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days as part of his sentence.

Buster was cared for by the RSPCA’s Warrington, Halton & St Helens Branch and enjoyed life for many months. Over time, the elderly dog’s health deteriorated and a decision was made to put him to sleep.