Owner charged after Arnie the german shepherd found dead in ute in Brisbane
The owner of German shepherd Arnie has been charged after the family dog was found dead in utero in Brisbane.
The black Toyota HiLux was reported stolen from the Wynnum area in east Brisbane on November 8.
Police were told Arnie was inside the car at the time of the alleged theft.
After the case attracted attention on social media, a large-scale search was launched for the family’s dog.
However, a 43-year-old man who owned the dog was charged with breach of animal care duty after failing to comply with his obligations under the Animal Welfare Act.
Police allege the man drove the car onto Amelia Street in Fortitude Valley at around 10.30pm on November 7 and left on foot, with Arnie still inside the car.
The next morning he allegedly told his partner the car had been stolen from a Wynnum address.
The woman reported the car to police, but investigators claimed she didn’t know the car wasn’t stolen.
The car was found with Arnie dead inside by a member of the public on Amelia Street on November 17.
The 43-year-old man was arrested on Thursday night and charged with breaching his duty to care for animals by failing to comply with requirements under the Animal Welfare Act.
The matter is expected to be heard in a Brisbane court next month.
The family had previously shared their sadness about Arnie’s death in a social media post.
“We would like to sincerely thank everyone for your assistance in the search for our son Arnie last week,” the post read.
“Unfortunately there is no better outcome and Arnie was found dead in the back of the stolen Ute yesterday.
“We are beyond devastated, he did not deserve to go like this. We had the best life with him and we will miss him so much.”
A Queensland Police spokesman asked the public to be respectful of the matter’s progress in the courts.
“QPS takes animal care seriously,” the spokesperson said.
“Any reports of a breach of duty of care towards animals will be taken seriously and fully investigated.”
