An Aberdeen man kicked his dog “in the genitals” as a way of training the animal not to run away, a court heard yesterday.
Allan Gillies appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday after previously admitting causing one of his pet dogs “unnecessary suffering”.
The 36-year-old, of Bucksburn, pleaded guilty to seizing a dog named Copper by the collar, restricting its breathing.
He also confessed to lifting the dog and throwing it to the ground, and kicking it on the body at a property on Inverurie Road.
And yesterday, the court heard about Gillies’ harsh training techniques in regard to another of his pets.
While Gillies accepts that Copper has been confiscated, he wants another dog, called Hunter, to be returned to him.
Fiscal depute Stuart Wright explained why animal charities may wish to impose a deprivation order preventing that from happening.
He said: “The accused appeared not to know that he was doing anything wrong in the way he treated Hunter.
“He stated that he was training his dogs, and kicked Hunter in the genitals if he ran away.
“Gillies also admitted that he struggled to look after himself, let alone his dogs.”
Defence lawyer, Neil McRobert, said: “Difficulties arose for my client when he took on this second dog, Copper, as it had an issue with Hunter.
“But he feels that he has looked after Hunter properly and that dog should be returned to him.”
Sheriff Morag McLaughlin said she “had concerns in relation to the Hunter issue”.
Sentence was deferred until November 10, to allow the court to receive more information from the Scottish SPCA on whether Gillies should be allowed to keep Hunter.