Man jailed 5 years for wrapping dog's muzzle in duct tape

Man jailed 5 years for wrapping dog's muzzle in duct tape

He wanted some peace and quiet, so William Dodson from South Carolina, US, decided to wrap a dog's muzzle in duct tape to stop it from barking.

On March 24, Dodson was sentenced to five years in jail after he pleaded guilty to animal cruelty.

In 2015, the 43-year-old chained Caitlyn, a bull terrier mix, outside his house after wrapping her muzzle in nine layers of tape. The dog managed to escape but was found in critical condition as the tape had ceased blood flow to her tongue.

According to The Charleston Animal Society, the binding was so tight that the rescue team took 36 hours to remove it.

The dog also required multiple surgeries to treat the severe injuries inflicted. A portion of her tongue had to be amputated.

A medical report described Caitlyn's tongue as "significantly swollen, significantly bruised, discoloured (dark purple) and oozing blood."

The terrier has now recovered and is living with a foster family with veterinary experience. A mini-celebrity now, she also appeared in the Charleston Firefighter Calendar.

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But she still bears the scars of her ordeal.

Photos of Caitlyn's abuse circulated online and sparked global outrage, prompting authorities to review laws on animal cruelty.

"We're going to do everything we can within the law to stop this, and then we're going to go beyond and change our laws and make them stronger," Aldwin Roman, Charleston Animal Society's director of anti-cruelty and outreach told The Post and Courier of Charleston.

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Although Dodson was slapped with the maximum sentence for animal cruelty, Judge Markley Dennis told him in court: "I wish I could give you more."

Dodson also faces a 15-year sentence for a separate incident. He was arrested and charged after tossing a loaded pistol and drugs while escaping from police officers in 2015.

The court ruled that Dodson will serve both sentences simultaneously.

debwong@sph.com.sg

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