British Columbia

B.C. puppy killer gets 6 months in jail

A provincial court judge in Victoria has handed down the stiffest sentence ever imposed in a case of animal cruelty in B.C.
A provincial court judge in Victoria has handed down the stiffest sentence ever imposed in a case of animal cruelty in B.C. 

Judge Ernie Quantz has ordered a six-month jail term in the case of a Victoria man who pleaded guilty to beating a three-month-old puppy to death in a hotel room on New Year's Day 2011. 

Brent Malcolm Connors, 24, has also been ordered to undergo drug and alcohol treatment during a two-year probation. 

As well, he has been banned from owning or caring for any animal for the next 10 years.

At an earlier court hearing, Connors said he beat the pit bull puppy to death after his abuse of alcohol and steroids caused him to "inexplicably explode".

The dog suffered ten broken ribs, other broken bones and a lacerated liver. A necropsy on the animal also found a human bite mark on its abdomen. The animal died from internal bleeding.

The case prompted local citizens to organize a protest group, Justice for Bandit, to try to force a stiff sentence.

But, the judge refused to accept the group's 3,500-name petition, which called for the maximum 18-month sentence.

Still, organizer Andrew Theise believes the group did have an effect. 

"It's a good day in the animal cruelty world. This is unheard of in B.C. I think the fact that so much attention was on it definitely affected the way the judge dealt his sentence," Theise said.

The head of Victoria's SPCA, Penny Stone, said she's very happy with the sentence and hopes the high profile case will inspire people to pressure politicians to create even stronger laws against animal abuse.

"I hope it's a really strong message and I hope people start paying attention that we're not going to consider animals just disposable anymore, that now, that we're going to start to fight hard for them and we're going to look for stiffer sentences and we're going to be  tough. I hope this is the beginning. I pray this is just the beginning," said Stone.

Stone also said this is the stiffest sentence ever handed down in B.C. for such a crime.

The SPCA is holding a memorial for Bandit at its shelter in Duncan on Feb. 5.