Fri, 19 Feb 2010 6:52p.m.
Te Ahu Mankelow was charged after a video surfaced showing the gruesome incident
By Adam Ray
A Gisborne man has been jailed for seven months after feeding five kittens to his pitbull terrier.
Te Ahu Mankelow was charged after a video surfaced showing the gruesome incident.
However, his family says he is not a monster; he is a dedicated father who made one mistake and the whole story has not been told.
“There was someone else who took part, who played a major role, took the video of their own choice, that my brother is taking the punishment for,” Mankelow’s sister, Vonita Mankelow said.
That other person has not been found.
Judge Philip Connell said today that while someone else was present, Mankelow played a major role in the killing.
“You showed no pity for the kittens, they were vulnerable,” he said.
The seven-month sentence was too short for the SPCA.
“Is seven months for the slaughter of kittens enough?” said SPCA inspector Charles Cadwallader.
The SPCA says the judge followed sentencing laws that are likely to change within months.
A new animal cruelty bill will double the maximum sentence for offenders like Mankelow.
The SPCA charged Mankelow after it was handed cell-phone video footage showing him and another person feeding the kittens to his dog.
3 News has viewed the footage but decided not to publish it because it is too disturbing.
“When you first view the footage you are taken in by the pain that's going onto those animals,” Mr Cadwallader said.
In the video, Mankelow says to his dog, "here, here, here Pepe", another person says "he's breaking their bones" and then Mankelow says, "attaboy, attaboy".
The SPCA wanted thousands in reparations from Mankelow to cover prosecuting him, but the court refused because he has no money, leaving the SPCA out of pocket.
3 News
