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Man charged after hockey stick used to beat Pomeranian snooping in trash

By: Kevin Rollason

Posted: 07/18/2012 1:00 AM | Last Modified: 07/18/2012 12:23 PM | Updates

Bree at an earlier time. (HANDOUT PHOTO)

A Ste. Anne man has been charged after a hockey stick was used to attack a Pomeranian that was nosing around in garbage.

The dog’s owner, Danielle Nault, said today that Bree, who she has owned for almost six years, will be put down later today because of her injuries.

"She is paralyzed now," Nault said. "Before they could touch her back legs and she could feel it, but today she has no feeling at all."

Ste. Anne police Sgt. Doug Davis said Tuesday he found the dog, named Bree, struggling in a ditch Monday evening.

Eyewitnesss said a person hit the dog twice with a stick or pipe, picked the dog up by the throat and threw it into the ditch," Davis said.

"I found the dog there and drove it and the owner to the emergency vet in Steinbach... when I found it, it was probably scared to death. It tried to bite me as I picked it up because it probably thought someone else was coming to hurt it.

"The dog couldn't move its hind end at all, but it was trying to drag itself home. It couldn't pull itself. It doesn't look good, but time will tell."

Nault said neighbours who witnessed the assault told her a hockey stick was used and during the attack the hockey stick broke.

"There was no reason to do this. She's a sweet dog," Nault said.

Nault said she is thankful none of her five children, aged two to 16, witnessed the attack on the family pet.

Sgt. Davis said today that Christopher Lyons, 39, has been formally charged with the offence of causing unnecessary suffering. Lyons will make his first court appearance on Aug. 23, in Steinbach.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition July 18, 2012 A4