Owner of Captain says he beat the dog to end its suffering

The judge in the case of an owner beating his German Shepherd and leaving him in a Kitsilano dumpster last year decided to reserve his decision for a few weeks following the sentence hearing on Tuesday.

Brian Whitlock pleaded guilty to animal cruelty charges in April and could face up to five years in jail, a &75,000 fine, and a lifetime ban on owning animals.

He faces three counts of mischief, from an incident at his ex-girlfriend’s mom’s house, unnecessary pain and suffering to an animal, and assault. The assault charge came from an incident in February at a Starbucks in which he hit a store manager on the back of his head, and a woman who was coming into the store at the time.

In court it was revealed that police did find a baseball bat in Whitlock’s apartment, and the bat did have canine blood on it. He admits he did intentionally hit Captain and cause unnecessary pain, but he said he did it because he said he was afraid of Captain and had previously left him in a separate room with the door closed.

He said he thought Captain was actually suffering and that is why he hit him and tried to ‘put him out of his misery.’

Several animal activist groups are in court today and said they just don’t buy Whitlock’s story.

“I hope they give him the maximum sentence allowed,” said animal activist Cleo Allen. “As Crown has opted to proceed summarily that’s an 18-month jail sentence maximum, and a $10,000 fine, so we were hoping it would be the other way, but it wasn’t, that’s how they opted.”

Whitlock has also pleaded guilty to the two other charges.

There was outrage in the community and online when Captain the dog was found. He was wrapped in a bloody blanket and died a day later from his injuries.

A decision date is yet to be determined.