Puppy Strangler Avoids Prison in Cruelty Case

A 23-year-old woman from Perth has been convicted of animal cruelty for a series of actions described as 'sustained cruelty' towards her one-year-old puppy, Roxy. The disturbing incident, which occurred on October 13, last year, was captured on camera by a passerby. The footage showed the woman, Lani Beattie, strangling the puppy, which was tied to a pole with a rope around its neck.

Roxy, a staffy-kelpie cross, exhibited signs of distress and physical injury, including bruising and swelling, and was found to have suffered psychological harm. Beattie reportedly claimed she no longer wanted the puppy because it was chewing her possessions. On July 2, Perth Magistrates Court handed Beattie a suspended jail sentence of six months and 14 days. She is now banned from owning animals for five years and ordered to pay over $1,600 to RSPCA WA.