William S., a fifty-year-old man with a marginal appearance and a history of heavy drinking, is as disturbing as it is indicative of his violence. His recurrence of violence, having already been found guilty for similar acts in September 2018, is worrying. According to actu.frHe has been in pre-trial detention since his arrest on Sunday 21 May 2023, and appeared on Wednesday 24 May 2023 before the criminal court in Évry, Essonne.
Sentenced to nine months' imprisonment with electronic monitoring
The case proceeded fairly quickly, as William S. confessed to his crimes. The revocation of his suspended sentence and a permanent ban on owning an animal were declared, as was the confiscation of the dog that had been mistreated. Compensation of €300 and €600 was ordered to be paid to each of the animal protection organisations involved: Action Protection Animale, Stéphane Lamart and the SPA. His nine-month prison sentence was converted into house arrest with electronic monitoring, commonly known as an 'electronic bracelet'.
Rapid intervention saved the animal
At 3.15pm on 21 May, a neighbour reported to the police the cries of pain from Cooper, a 13-month-old American staff, and the ranting of his owner. As soon as the door was opened, the terrified and bloodied dog fled the house, taking refuge behind the police. He was quickly given first aid before being taken to the Clinique Vétérinaire de l'Orge. Bloodstains were later discovered in various parts of the house.
Testimonies gathered during the investigation revealed that William S. was seen mistreating his dog. In addition, his daughter reported that her father consumed large quantities of alcohol, particularly on the day of the incident. The veterinary examination also showed that Cooper showed no signs of aggression.
Significant increase in cases of violence against animals since 2016
The reconstruction of events shows that, following a disturbance caused by Cooper, which included chewing on papers, William S. violently hit his dog. In response, Cooper tried to bite his owner, who then took a kitchen knife and stabbed the dog ten times.
The representative of Action Protection Animale, during the hearing, expressed the unbearable agony that Cooper had had to endure. The SPA representative added that the number of cases of violence against pets and farm animals has increased by almost 30% in five years, which is extremely worrying.
Cooper was finally handed over to the organisation Action Protection Animale by the courts and was placed in a refuge to continue his recovery.
