Man banned from keeping animals after Barking dog abuse

A man has been banned from keeping animals indefinitely after he was filmed beating his dog in Barking and throwing her across a garden.

Javel Pilgrim, 24, of Saint Gregory’s Crescent, Gravesend, pleaded guilty on April 9 to causing unnecessary suffering by physical abuse and failing to meet the welfare needs of his pet dog.

The charges were brought by the RSPCA, who began investigating Pilgrim after video evidence emerged of him abusing a black and white crossbreed dog in his garden in Barking on January 25.

Pilgrim was seen in the video lifting his dog Tessa before throwing her from a height across the garden.

The video showed him throwing Tessa across his garden in Barking (Image: RSPCA)

A witness vet analysing the video said: "The person does not drop the dog by accident but throws it with intent and force enough to propel it a considerable distance from him.

"There is no sign in my opinion, having examined the clip, that the dog was trying to bite the person, or that the man was acting in self-defence."

When RSPCA animal rescue officer Bryan Taylor attended Pilgrim’s address, Tessa was found living in the garden, and was taken from the property for a veterinary examination on January 26.

She was underweight, weighing only 15.9kg, with injuries to her lower limbs, and fractured teeth.

One vet concluded: "This injury could have occurred when the owner threw her onto the ground - it is common for injuries to the carpus (wrist) to be caused by falling from a height.

"The graze on her carpus could have occurred at the same time.

"The damage to Tessa’s teeth could also have occurred when she was thrown."

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They added: "We also noted that while Tessa was very well behaved with female members of staff she showed signs of fear aggression with some of our male staff members - suggesting that her previous mistreatment has made her fearful of men."

The vet believes the injuries on Tessa's wrists could have been caused by her being thrown to the ground (Image: RSPCA)

Pilgrim was sentenced to an indefinite animal ban on April 9 at Barkingside Magistrates Court, and handed a 12-month community order.

RSPCA inspector Shahnaz Ahmad said after the conclusion of the case: "Pilgrim inflicted appalling and totally unnecessary violence on Tessa.

"There is never an excuse for treating an animal in this way."