A Bristol court has banned a local man and woman from owning animals after a neighbor filmed them abusing a malnourished terrier.
James Andrew Marchant, 42, and Clair Yvonne Malik, 42, both from Privet Drive, pleaded guilty to animal welfare offenses at Bristol Magistrates Court on June 24.
The case began when a neighbor recorded Marchant on September 5, 2025, handling the terrier named Boomer improperly.
The footage showed Marchant pinning the dog to the ground, carrying him by the neck, and throwing him over a six-foot wooden fence onto a paved surface.
Neighbors shouted at him to stop and contacted the police.
A veterinary expert reviewed the video and assessed the physical and psychological trauma inflicted on the animal.
“The callous manner in which he threw Boomer over the fence, compounded by the failure to have him then checked by a vet, illustrates that he failed in his duty to protect him from pain, suffering, injury and disease,” the vet stated.
Medical examinations revealed Boomer was severely undernourished, weighing only 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) with minimal fat coverage, earning a body conditioning score of two out of nine.
Under RSPCA care, the terrier gained 75 percent weight, reaching 3.5 kilograms (7.7 pounds), and was successfully rehomed one month later.
Marchant pleaded guilty to two counts: throwing the dog over the fence and failing to provide an adequate diet.
He received a 10-year ban on keeping animals, with a restriction on appealing for seven years.
The court also ordered him to pay £400 in costs and an £80 victim surcharge.
Malik admitted to one charge of failing to meet the dog’s nutritional needs.
She received a five-year ban on owning dogs, with a three-year restriction on appeals, and was ordered to pay a £120 fine, £400 in costs, and a £40 victim surcharge.
RSPCA Inspector Kim Walters, who led the investigation, highlighted the organization’s reliance on public vigilance.
“Animals feel pain and suffering just like we do and always deserve to be shown kindness and compassion,” Walters said.
She thanked the neighbor for documenting the abuse, adding that the public acts as the eyes and ears of the charity.
