Man who shot 'unruly' dog gets suspended sentence

George Borg, 63 of Mosta was handed a three-year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to charges of animal cruelty when he shot his Doberman.

In a prior sitting, prosecuting Inspector Joseph Busuttil explained how Mosta district police found a Doberman, killed by shots from a shotgun, tied to a tree in Wied l-Isperanza. Further investigations revealed that the dog had been chipped, leading the investigators straight to the dog's owner, a pensioner from Mosta. An autopsy report and x-rays showed  the dog died from a gunshot to its head.

Borg was accused of killing the Doberman, keeping a dog knowing he was not responsible enough to guarantee its well being and carrying a weapon without permit.

Borg claimed he shot the dog about two weeks ago after realising he could not control the dog while walking it due to its size and strength.

In her judgement delivered earlier today, Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras handed Borg a 15-month jail term suspended for three years.The court also seized the accused’s shotgun which was found at the residence of the accused.

Lawyer Caroline Farrugia appeared for Borg.