Boronia Heights man Kristopher Torpy, 29, slugged more than $15K after dog dies of heatstroke
A young American staffordshire bull terrier died a “catastrophic” death in a Logan backyard tied by a 5kg chain to a clothesline. His ‘grossly negligent’ owner has been identified in court. WARNING: DISTRESSING IMAGES
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A FOUR-year-old American staffordshire bull terrier died of heatstroke in a Logan backyard on a day which exceeded 35C after a 5kg chain was used to tether it to a clothesline with no shade or water.
The dog, Bronx, died shortly after being taken to the vet. A post mortem examination revealed no food in its stomach or tract, consistent with not being fed for 24-48 hours prior to its death. It had tried to chew through the chain.
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A second staffy, Ciara, which had been tied to a fence with partial shade, survived.
On Friday, Boronia Heights man Kristopher Torpy, 29, appeared in Beenleigh Magistrates Court charged with two offences under the Animal Care and Protection Act (QLD), failure to provide appropriate accommodation.
Torpy was charged on March 11 last year after the RSPCA received a tip-off from the public at 10.21am.
According to the Statement of Facts tendered in court, by 10.35am the informant contacted the RSPCA again to say Bronx, the staffy chained to the clothesline, appeared to have passed away.
Just before midday, an RSPCA inspector interviewed Torpy who, according to the statement, “appeared to be under the influence of a substance at the time”. He admitted to consuming four Jack Daniels and a joint of a marijuana the previous night.
“Torpy was remorseful and accepted responsibility and admitted he ‘f***** up’,” the statement continued.
Bronx’s post mortem examination at the UQ School of Veterinary Science revealed:
- Advanced rigor mortis.
- Dry tissues and slightly sunken eyes suggesting a mild dehydration that occurred rapidly and immediately prior to death, consistent with deprivation of water for a short duration combined with exposure to high environmental temperatures.
- No evidence of food in the gastrointestinal tract suggesting that Bronx was not fed in the 24 – 48 hours prior to death.
The cause of death was determined as heatstroke.
Magistrate Louise Shephard said we have a “moral responsibility” to provide for animals in our care and that Torpy had been “grossly negligent” with “catastrophic” consequences.
Torpy was slugged more than $16,000 in fines and RSPCA costs.
He was banned from owning animals for four years.