Geelong man Leigh Mitchell left greyhound to die in backyard

A vet clinic was left “horrified” when a former Geelong greyhound trainer brought in a dog that had been abused for days.

Leigh Mitchell pleaded guilty to animal abuse charges after he dropped a deceased dog off at a veterinary clinic.

A veterinary clinic was “horrified” when a former Geelong greyhound trainer brought in a dog he had left to die in his backyard.

Norlane man Leigh Mitchell, 37, admitted he was a trainer who had been disqualified from owning greyhounds for unrelated offences at the time he mistreated a new dog that had been “dumped” with him.

Mitchell pleaded guilty in the Geelong Magistrates Court on Tuesday to aggravated cruelty and failing to provide treatment.

After four or five days of mistreatment, Mitchell brought the deceased dog into a local veterinary clinic who said they were “horrified and believed there had been offences” committed against the animal.

Mitchell said the dog belonged to his father but had been left with him despite his father knowing he was disqualified from owning any dogs.

“The dog was only meant to be there a week,” Mitchell, who was representing himself in court, said in his defence.

When asked why he had not brought the dog to a veterinary clinic earlier, Mitchell’s mother told the court they “don’t want to know unless you have cash or credit card to pay straight away” and at the time “Mitchell didn’t have money to pay for treatment”.

The RSPCA said there were organisations Mitchell could have called.

Magistrate Peter Mellas agreed, telling Mitchell he “sounds like someone who is familiar with how dogs work”.

“There are a number of organisations who take on this kind of thing. It would have been as simple as a phone call to them for someone to come out and get involved in the care of the dog and ensure it was taken somewhere where it could have been cared for,” he said.

Mr Mellas took into account Mitchell’s intellectual disability and his need to stay away from the dog because of his disqualification.

Mr Mellas said the guilty plea “allowed the court to be able to say to people this is the sort of behaviour you shouldn’t engage in”.

“(This) brings to people’s notice, (considering) the exponential growth in people owning dogs … that not only the pleasure they can bring as companions but the obligation that goes with them,” Mr Mellas said.

Mitchell was ordered to pay a $3000 fine and has been banned from owning any dogs for five years.

Originally published as Geelong man Leigh Mitchell left greyhound to die in backyard