FREEPORT - The Humane Society of Grand Bahama believes the animal cruelty judgment in the case of a severely malnourished dog was a "hollow victory".

After a year of adjournments in the Magistrates Court, of Wenito Bootle suddenly changed his plea to guilty and was granted a conditional discharge and ordered to pay $1,758 in costs.

Bootle, a resident of Gordon Avenue and the son of Police Superintendent Welbourne Bootle, appeared in Court Two where he was charged a year ago with animal cruelty with regard to a female Doberman mix-breed dog named "Meka."

Meka was adopted, along with second male Doberman mix named "Mr Thomas" from the HSGB, in February 2009.

On July 15, 2009 the HSGB received a call from a concerned citizen who reported that her neighbour's dog had staggered into her yard and collapsed.

Meka, a once healthy 75-pound dog, weighed only 35 pounds six months after being adopted. There was a heavy chain around her neck. She was covered in ticks and there were large patches of hair missing, according to the HSGB.

Photo: Meka was adopted, along with second male Doberman mix named "Mr Thomas" from the HSGB, in February 2009. Photo from The Tribune.

She was euthanized the next morning after her condition had deteriorated further.

The Doberman mix named "Mr Thomas" was never found.

In court on Monday, Bootle's lawyer Robert Adams of Graham Thompson & Co asked for mercy for his client.

Mr Adams stated that his client was remorseful and had been unemployed for a period of time.

He explained that Bootle was an animal lover who simply faced challenges caring for the dogs.

Mr Adams also noted that a conviction on Mr Bootle's record would jeopardize his pending job with Bahamas Customs and thus ruin his career.

Magistrate Andrew Forbes said the statutory provision on the charge was for a maximum penalty of $150 or three months imprisonment, and that neither seemed adequate for such a significant charge.

Magistrate Forbes said he wishes some sort of class existed which Mr Bootle could attend.

He then ordered him to pay $1,758 in costs by October 29, or be convicted at that time.

Tip Burrows, executive director of the HSGB, said the outcome of the trial was somewhat "bittersweet".

"Mr Bootle gets to pay a small sum of money and go on with his life with no meaningful consequences for his actions," she said.

Bootle changed his plea to "guilty" after the defense counsel and the prosecution conferred privately. Despite the HSGB's attorney, Tiffany Dennison of Dennison & Co being present, Tip Burrows said she and the HSGB were not involved in the meeting.

Ms Burrows said the HSGB hopes that once in a while, Mr Bootle thinks about the suffering of Meka and Mr Thomas.

She added that anyone who adopts from the HSGB can simply pick up the phone and call if they are no longer able to care for their pets.

Ms Burrows hopes the case will discourage other people from abusing animals.

"I would like to think it would make people stop and think, especially in cases where people have an opportunity to get help for their animal. There is no reason for this to ever happen," she said.

The Humane Society visits schools to educate students about the importance of caring for animals.

The organisation also has an active student volunteer program.

"Right now, we currently have five kids volunteering at the facility and they learn by example, watching how we care for the animals at our shelter," Ms Burrows said.

"With adults it is harder to educate, and when people adopt an animal from us we give them literature about how to care for their pet, we give them a free DVD on how to train the adopted animal, we counsel them about proper animal care and the importance of veterinary care," she said.

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