Stop John Delahaye From Abusing Animals

On April 23, 2009, John Delahaye decided that his mastiff, Winchester, needed to be put down. Delahaye did not have a car to transport the 3 year old dog to the vet. Without asking to borrow a car from a neighbor or calling for a taxi, Delahaye fired five nails into Winchester's head. When Winchester did not die from the nail-gun attack, Delahaye killed him by stabbing him in the neck with a knife and smashing him over the head with a sledgehammer.

Animal welfare campaigners agree that it is one of the most severe cases of cruelty they have ever seen. Instead of being sent to jail, John Delahaye was given a suspended sentence for brutally murdering his three-year-old dog. When asked if he regretted his disgusting actions, Delahaye responded by saying that he was right in killing his "favorite dog" because "that's how they do it on farms". Delahaye alleges that he grew up with relatives who routinely shot dogs on their farm, and says that he "didn't think of calling a pound". Apparently, he was fed up with his "favorite" dog because it barked at neighbors and escaped from his yard.

John Delahaye told reporters that when he shot Winchester with the first nail, the dog screamed in pain. When another four nails to the head left Winchester immobilized and crying for help, Delahaye dragged him into the house and stabbed him in the neck with a knife. As the young mastiff lay dying, Delahaye picked up a sledgehammer and fatally smashed him over the head.

Delahaye pleaded guilty to knowingly causing unreasonable pain to an animal and was sentenced by Latrobe Valley Magistrate's Court to three months in jail. Delahaye quickly appealed against the severity of his sentence. The judge reduced the punishment, directing that the sentence be suspended for 12 months, while banning Delahaye from owning domestic animals for three years. RSPCA manager Greg Boland was shocked that the crime did not result in jail time.

Urge the Magistrates' Court to uphold their jail sentence for John Delahaye, and to ban him from owning domestic animals for life. Any person who would do such a despicable, monstrous thing to an animal deserves time behind bars. And people who are violent against animals rarely stop there. Studies show that people who abuse their animal companions are more than likely to abuse their children, spouse, and others.

Sign this petition to let the Magistrates' Court know that suspending the sentence of this cold-blooded murderer is dangerous and wrong. John Delahaye deserves to be behind bars, and he cannot be allowed to own domestic animals. He does not need the opportunity to commit more deplorable actions of violence.