Cruel farmer who dragged dog along road by rope tied at back of car avoids jail

12 December 2023 , 17:25

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A cruel farmer who dragged his husky dog along a road by a rope tied to his car boot was handed a suspended jail sentence today.

Kim Rendall was caught on dashcam driving with Daisy tied to the back of his car before he dumped her to die - while he went home for a cup of tea and a haircut. At Bristol Crown Court Rendall, who wept in the dock, admitted two charges of causing unnecessary suffering by failing to protect an animal from pain and injury by dragging her behind the car, and failing to get urgent veterinary attention.

Rendall claimed the large white dog must have fallen or jumped out of the unlatched boot of the small car which had left him "devastated and shocked". Judge Michael Longman said to him: "I don't believe you were devastated. Your attitude and behaviour was false. Daisy's injuries were truly dreadful."

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Kim Rendall at Bristol Crown Court (Tom Wren SWNS)

He said Rendall acted in an "arrogant" way and with "disdain' but said Rendall did not intend to drag the dog down the road but was reckless about causing the dog pain, injury and suffering. The judge said he obstructed police and failed to take any steps to get the dog veterinary help.

Several drivers witnessed the horrific incident and tried to stop the 65-year-old by flashing their lights and sounding their horns at his red Nissan Micra. Daisy was left dreadfully injured in the April incident and was put to sleep nine days later.

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The farmer dragged his husky dog behind his car (RSPCA / SWNS)

But callous Rendall refused to help the dog or tell police where he had dumped Daisy when they turned up at his mother's home to find him drinking tea and having his hair cut by his sister. The RSPCA released the video showing Daisy being dragged for 55 seconds and 200 metres along the road in Timsbury near Bath, with one lady driver shouting 'your dog, your dog' out of a window, as Rendall gestured for her to go away with his hand.

Rendall only stopped when a dog walker flagged him down - with nine-year-old Daisy lying on the road bleeding out before struggling to her shredded feet. The lady dog walker "pleaded" with him to call a vet and she offered to pay the bill - but Rendall "completely blanked" her before he laughed and aggressively shouted "alright my love".

A protestor outside the court where the farmer was sentenced (Tom Wren SWNS)

She said she was calling the police and Rendall said: "I will do what I want. It's my dog." The heartless farmer then lifted the injured dog into the car boot and drove off.

The police were called and went to the car owner's address - his 90-year-old mother's home - but Rendall refused to say where Daisy was and told them he would get his own veterinary care for her. He was arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty and 18 police officers and a drone unit were used to locate Daisy as rude and aggressive Rendall smirked in his police interview.

As he was handcuffed he said: "It's all right. I'm going to take it to the vets." Two and a half hours later, Daisy was found in a nearby cow barn in the Somerset countryside still tethered by the rope to the neck.

Rendall said in a statement to police that he was "completely shocked and devastated" and claimed it was "completely unintentional and an accident". He claimed Daisy must have jumped or fallen from the car boot without his knowledge on the journey and he had not deliberately dragged her along the road.

RSPCA Inspector Kim Walters outside Bristol Council Court (Tom Wren SWNS)

PC Natalie Cosgrove said she felt 'incredibly sorry' for the dog (Tom Wren SWNS)

Police officers were left shocked and one of them, PC Natalie Cosgrove, said: "I couldn't sleep and cried. I just felt incredibly sorry for her, that a human let her down so badly. This is one of those jobs that will haunt me forever."

Rendall, who had no previous convictions, said he has been a smallholding farmer for 40 years and loved domestic and wild animals and had taken on "good-natured but boisterous" Daisy from his son ten years ago. Prosecutor Gregory Gordon asked for a long animal ban because Rendall refused to tell police where Daisy was and had no intention of getting her veterinary care.

Defence barrister Charles Row KC said Daisy tended to run off and was used to being on a long rope attached to her dog collar, and said on that day "very deaf" and "abrupt" Rendall was not wearing his hearing aids. "It did not occur to him that Daisy either jumped or fell out of the boot. The boot was never latched," added the lawyer who said Rendall did not know he was towing her along the road.

Rendall was jailed for eight months, suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work. He was banned from keeping animals for 20 years except for his cattle and koi carp. He was ordered to pay £5,000 costs.