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Man ties German Shepherd's snout shut with cable tie leaving her in agony for 4 hours in his backyard

The neighbors said that the dog appeared to struggle to breathe and was in a state of distress before a member of the public managed to remove the cable tie and rescue her
UPDATED MAR 13, 2020
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

A man has reportedly gone scot-free and will serve a good behavior bond after he tied his German Shepherd's snout shut with a cable tie. 

Chloe, the dog, was left in distress in the backyard of her owner's Mt. Gambier residence in South Australia in March this year after her mouth was tied up, according to a 7 News report.

Residents nearby noticed that the 48-year-old owner had tethered his dog to a rope and tied her mouth shut. They immediately alerted authorities.

The neighbors said that the dog appeared to struggle to breathe and was in a state of distress before a member of the public managed to remove the cable tie and rescue her.

Chloe was given cool water to drink and made to lie down in a plastic pool of water to cool her off, according to the neighbors. The owner, who cannot be named for legal reasons, now faces charges of ill-treating an animal under the Animal Welfare Act.

According to RSPCA South Australia's Chief Veterinarian Dr. Brad Ward, dogs need to be able to breathe through their mouths so they can regulate their body temperature.

"Panting is the main way in which dogs cool their bodies because, unlike us, they do not have an effective system of sweat glands," Ward said.

"If you prevent a dog from cooling its body in this way, you put it at extreme risk of overheating, particularly in warm weather. Dogs must be able to cool themselves through their mouths, not to mention be able to drink and eat with ease."

Meanwhile, the owner's defense lawyer has claimed it was an accident, saying his client put the cable tie around Chloe's mouth in the morning but forgot to take it off before leaving for work.

However, it was reported that the poor dog's snout was tied shut for a staggering four hours before she was rescued.

The unidentified owner was given a good behavior bond to the tune of $200 for 15 months and ordered to pay $1,600 in veterinarian bills and legal costs.

The owner has also been banned from owning animals for two years, and Chloe has been taken to another home, added the report.

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