Walker Katarzyna Rynas of Vaucluse left dog in hot car to die avoids jail

A WOMAN who left a “beautiful” dog to die in a baking-hot car as she headed on a cruise to Vanuatu has avoided jail time.

A WOMAN who left a “beautiful” dog to die in a baking-hot car as she headed on a cruise to Vanuatu has avoided jail time.

Vaucluse dog walker Katarzyna Rynas faced Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court on Friday for sentencing after pleading guilty last month to animal cruelty charges over the death of four-year-old keeshond “Beau” in Rose Bay on December 12.

The court heard Rynas, 46, “failed to exercise care” while in charge of Beau, leaving the beloved pet of Lilly Miljkovic and her partner Rod in the back of her work car just minutes before boarding a boat to Port Vila.

The senseless death, in which a post-mortem found Beau suffered multiple organ failure in searing temperatures upwards of 50C, sparked massive community outrage.

More than 20,000 people have signed a “Beau’s Law” petition calling for legislation to be changed so people who cause the death of an animal through acts of cruelty and neglect face mandatory jail time.

Beau and her owner Lilly Miljkovic.

In her sentencing on Friday, Magistrate Jacqueline Milledge said mother-of-two Rynas’ act “doesn’t warrant jail or community service”, despite it being a “giant failure” and a case of “extreme neglect”.

“I know people are going to be outraged that I don’t send you to jail,” Ms Milledge said.

The magistrate recorded a conviction against Rynas, fined her $3000 and ordered that she pay Beau’s owners just over $3000 in compensation.

“There is a real need for a deterrence … dog walking is an industry on the move – but it seems to be unregulated,” Ms Milledge said.

Outside court, a stony-faced Rynas refused to answer questions over why she left Beau behind in her heat-choked car on the 28C day. Earlier, the court heard she is still walking four of her friends’ dogs – “at their urging”.

Beau was described as ‘pure love and joy’ not only to his owners, but to everyone he met during his daily adventures.

Ms Miljkovic was not in court for the sentencing as she is still coming to terms with the loss of her beloved family pet.

In a heartfelt post after Beau’s death, which went viral, she wrote: “I keep hoping to wake from the nightmare but this is our truth.

“As strange as this may sound to some, we often say we don’t remember our life before Beau. He was pure love and joy, not only to us as his parents, but those that he crossed paths with on his daily adventures.”

After Beau’s death, more than 20,000 people signed a “Beau’s Law” petition calling for legislation to be changed so people who cause the death of an animal through acts of cruelty and neglect face mandatory jail time.

Rynas’ barrister, Jehane Ghabrial, told the court today that her client had received death threats and still fears for the lives of her two children, aged 9 and 13.

“She absolutely loves animals and is traumatised,” Ms Ghabrial said.

Vaucluse woman Katarzyna Rynas outside Sydney's Downing Centre after being convicted of animal cruelty.

The court heard Rynas had walked Beau 12 times, between October 16 and December 12, but that the keeshond was “not a regular” dog to walk. She had picked up Beau at 9am for a walk at a Vaucluse park with two other dogs.

The car that Beau died in after being left there by his dog walker.

Rynas returned home at 10.50am, about 10 minutes before being picked up to go on the cruise. Her barrister said it was a “terrible tragedy” as there was “no mental intent” to leave Beau in the car.

“She doesn’t know what happened on that day,” Ms Ghabrial said. “She has apologised to the owners and sent them flowers.”

Beau was discovered by his distraught owners about 5pm after Rynas finally realised she had left the dog in her car. Local resident Glenn Herne told how he smashed the window of the car after his frantic owners asked him for help.

RSPCA chief inspector David O’Shannessy says it takes just six minutes for an animal to die of heat stress in a car.