Savva Dobrinsky: Bondi music teacher fails to overturn animal cruelty conviction

A court has heard a Bondi music teacher suggested hydralite, iron tablets and nail chipping would heal his dying dog while denying a desperate vet’s bid to have him euthanised. Here’s why he didn’t get him help.

Harrowing details have emerged of the near-death state a vet found a Bondi music teacher’s dog in, including with a lump “the size of a soccer ball” hanging off its side, while the owner claimed he could not afford vet treatment.

Savva Dobrinsky failed to have his animal cruelty conviction overturned after he was found guilty of one count of the crime last October.

Sydney’s Downing Centre District Court heard a vet discovered his male maremma dog, named Shep, lying helplessly on his owner’s floor, covered in faeces and urine and making “muffled lung sounds”.

The court found Dobrinsky failed to treat the dog for its array of life-threatening health issues, which included extreme weakness, emaciated body condition, large painful liposarcoma, anaemia, dehydration, a flea infestation and general pain.

It found it was cruel for Dobrinsky to keep Shep alive and the man was sentenced to 12-months imprisonment, to be served by way of intensive correction in the community.

The court heard Shep had a huge lump hanging off him. Generic picture.

But nearly a year later, Dobrinsky challenged his conviction — and failed.

In a 10-page statement submitted to his appeal proceedings, Dobrinsky argued he did not know Shep was too sick to be kept alive.

In a court statement, Dobrinsky denied he knew Shep needed to be put down. Generic picture.

Referencing that letter, Judge William Fitzsimmons said Dobrinsky denied he failed to collect prescribed pain medication, take Shep to the vet or accept that he needed to be euthanised, instead claiming that the vet which visited him did not “use the exact words” of Shep needing “to be put down”.

“I do not accept the alternative hypothesis that the appellant misunderstood (the vet),” Judge Fitzsimmons said.

“The historical objective evidence is inconsistent with the appellant's apparent concern.”

The court heard Dobrinsky called the vet after he became concerned about his 14-year-old dog’s health but said “euthanasia is not an option” for religious and moral reasons. It heard he claimed he could not afford to take Shep to the vet for treatment.

The appeal was dismissed in the Downing Centre District Court. Picture: John Grainger

According to the vet’s notes tendered to court, the vet expressed repeated concern about Shep’s pain, liver damage, low appetite and other issues.

Dobrinsky suggested hydralite and iron tablets as a solution, at one point suggesting Shep was “slipping on the floor” because his nails needed clipping as opposed to being too weak to walk.

By the time RSCPA inspector Natalie Will came to assess Shep’s condition, she noted its “back right leg was covered in faecal matter … a large lump the side of soccer ball.”

“Thigh bones were prominent despite the thick coat. He had severe muscle atrophy and no discernible body fat”.

In his statement, Dobrinsky argued he had visited the vet about the lump months earlier but was told it was benign and nothing to worry about.

But Judge Fitzsimmons said while “there is no doubt” Dobrinsky attended the vet “from time to time,” he declined on this occasion due to cost.

Judge Fitzsimmons dismissed the appeal and ordered Dobrinsky to pay the prosecution’s legal costs.