Dog owner jailed over injuries to his puppy

Five-month-old Pepsi was lame, had multiple broken ribs and had been scalded

A man who claimed his puppy was injured and scalded as a result of accidents has been jailed and banned from keeping animals for a decade.

Dontae West, 19, from Hilliards Croft, Birmingham, was sentenced at the city's crown court for causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.

In 2023, his five-month-old bully-type puppy Pepsi, who has since been rehomed, was found to have lameness to his back legs and burn injuries, said the RSPCA.

West has been jailed for six months, including three months for other offences.

Pepsi could not put weight on one of his back legs and a front leg also appeared misshapen

A concerned member of the public had raised concerns about the puppy's welfare, said the charity.

Pepsi was found to be "extremely wobbly" at the back and one of his front legs "looked misshapen and abnormally bendy".

He had also lost fur and was found to have suffered a number of broken ribs.

West had claimed he had fallen on his pet while carrying him downstairs and the scalding was because the puppy had knocked over a hot drink.

The animal charity said the judge recognised that West was remorseful and had mental health issues, but that did not provide an excuse for the dog's treatment.

RSPCA Insp Vicki Taylor said it was "heartbreaking that Pepsi was treated in this way".