Puppy put down after sick owner cut off its toes and gave it brain damage

A puppy had to be put down after its sick owner cut off its toes and damaged its brain.

Leon Kramolis has been banned from keeping animals for life.

The 25-year-old pleaded guilty to a range of animal welfare offences, following an investigation.

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The alarm was raised after a young Staffordshire bull terrier puppy, known as Rex, had been presented to vets in a comatose state and sadly, had to be put to sleep because of the severity of his condition.

Vets were concerned that Rex had been intentionally harmed by his owner prior to his death.

CCTV footage from the shared housing where Kramolis was living was also obtained by investigators, which showed him with Rex.

A post mortem was carried out, which showed the end bones of the right hind toes had been removed, exposing bone ends, and all nails on the left hind toes had been cut back beyond the nail bed.

Forelimb nails were also cut short, causing the quicks to bleed.

A large brain haemorrhage was also found, extending to the first region of the spinal cord, along with a skull fracture on the right side and a jaw fracture.

The puppy had also suffered injuries to a number of ribs, which were fractured on the left side close to their spinal articulation.

He also had bleeding of the eyes in both eyes.

A court heard bacterial infection of the toe wounds had also led to septicaemia, showing that the trauma to the toes appears to have occurred first, allowing septicaemia to develop, followed by the head trauma resulting in a coma.

A vet, who examined the evidence, including the CCTV, said he believed the puppies’ toes were cut and then the defendant was seen placing him on a kitchen worktop with a dishcloth tied around his head as he attempted to put a cup on his muzzle.

Some time later, the puppy was hit around the head – possibly as an attempt to silence him, as reported by Need To Know.

Alongside the life animal ban, which he can not appeal to have lifted for 15 years, Kramolis, of West Bromwich, was sentenced to a 24-month community order with 42 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He was told he’d have also been sentenced to two years in prison when he appeared in Birmingham Crown Court on 12 December, but because he’d already served 14 months, he was granted release from prison.

In mitigation, he claimed to have trimmed the puppy’s nails but cut them too short and that he was remorseful for what he’d done.

RSPCA Inspector Vicki Taylor, who investigated, said: “Owning a dog like Rex is a privilege, so it is heartbreaking to think what he went through.

“Dogs feel pain and suffering just like we do and always deserve to be shown kindness and compassion.”

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