7 Feb 2024
Dogs were left without veterinary care for injuries including a fractured leg, while mobile phone footage showed foxes being attacked by dogs in a garage.
Vet Times
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Major the lurcher who suffered facial injuries. Image: RSPCA
A man who allowed two of his pet dogs to have their ears cropped and failed to seek veterinary treatment for another’s fractured leg has been jailed for 30 months.
A judge described the actions of Dane Crawford as “criminal and utterly shocking” as he was sentenced at Preston Crown Court on Monday 5 February.
Crawford, 30, of Howgill Avenue, Lancaster, was also barred from keeping any animal for life, having previously pleaded guilty to six offences under the Animal Welfare Act.
His girlfriend and co-defendant, 23-year-old Shelby Wallis, of the same address, was given a three-month prison term, suspended for 18 months, and disqualified from keeping animals for 10 years, having admitted four charges.
Crawford was first arrested in November 2022, after analysis of two mobile phones seized in an earlier raid on an address in Lancaster revealed videos and still images of wildlife being set upon by dogs.
Two of the videos showed dogs being encouraged to attack foxes in a confined space, while Crawford was seen holding a dead fox in a separate picture with one of his dogs.
Five dogs were taken into RSPCA care at the time of Crawford’s arrest, including two bullbreeds named Drey and Shakira, whose ears had been cropped, and two lurchers called Lassie and Major, who had a fractured leg and facial injuries respectively.
A vet who examined the lurchers described Lassie’s injury as “traumatic” and reported both infection and swelling as a result of a lack of treatment.
Meanwhile, Major’s injuries were said to be “unusual” and likely to have been caused at least three days before the examination took place.
When interviewed, Crawford claimed he had acquired the lurchers six weeks earlier, while Wallis said the bullbreed dogs had all been imported.
But RSPCA inspector Will Lamping said the material recovered from the mobile phones had shown the “serious level of cruelty” that had taken place, including the use of the defendants’ own dogs in the attacks.
He added: “This case sends a clear message to those that choose to engage in wildlife persecution and ear cropping that their cruel activities will not be tolerated.”
In addition to their sentences, the defendants were ordered to pay £3,500 and £2,500 respectively in costs.
