A Hull man has been banned from keeping dogs for life after he posted "despicable" hunting videos on TikTok.
Animal welfare charity The Naturewatch Foundation provided digital evidence to RSPCA Special Operations Unit investigators showing one dog fighting a badger underground, and another engaging with a fox. One of the dogs - a bull lurcher named Buddy - suffered severe injuries to his nose that were consistent with him fighting a badger.
Billy Harry Scarah, 28, of Orchard Park, Hull, pleaded guilty to two offences of causing unnecessary suffering to a dog by allowing it to fight with another animal, and failing to get veterinary treatment under the Animal Welfare Act. He also admitted an offence of interfering with a badger sett by causing a dog to enter.
In mitigation, it was claimed Scarah committed the offences at a time when he felt a “lack of structure” and “boredom”. He had “turned his life around” since then and had not reoffended.
The RSPCA’s Special Operations Unit launched an investigation after it receiving intelligence that Scarah had been posting content showing dogs being used to hunt wildlife in closed Facebook groups and videos on TikTok.
Two warrants were executed by Humberside Police, in March 2023, at addresses in Hull and Buddy, a tan-coloured bull lurcher, was seized and placed into RSPCA care.
In a witness statement to the court, RSPCA officer Jason Bowles said: “On looking at Buddy I could see that he had a large part of his nose missing and the wound looked to be healed. He also had extensive scarring from wounds that looked to be healed on his head and legs. The tip of his tail was injured and bleeding."
A statement from the vet who assessed Buddy said the dog had "multiple facial injuries and scars consistent with having received multiple lacerations". They added: "These injuries showed evidence of having been received at different time periods due to the different degrees of healing and colouration of the scars. Some injuries looked to be months old or longer with pale pink scars, which show the injury has healed, scarred and the scar has lost its colour due to time and exposure to the light.
“Other scars had darker pink to red colouration showing that they were more recent (2-30 days) and had not had the same degree of healing. These facial injuries were all over the muzzle and around the eyes.
“The dog also had a significant defect on the right side of his nostril, where a large portion of flesh was missing.”
The vet estimated this injury to be around a month old and said it appeared it had not been repaired and also said it was likely, from the injuries, that the dog had been involved in 'badger baiting’.
Specialist officers from the RSPCA reviewed the content posted on social media and used still images to compare the background in the videos to the surroundings at the addresses raided by police.
Speaking after the court hearing, RSPCA chief inspector Ian Muttitt said: “Watching these videos glorifying and glamorising the brutal suffering of wild animals - and the dogs used to hunt them - is shocking. Sadly, this is something that can easily be found on many of the social media platforms today.
“But we’re proud to work closely with the police and other agencies, such as Naturewatch Foundation, to investigate these videos and bring the people to justice who are causing unnecessary suffering to animals, all in the name of TikTok views and Facebook likes.”
At Hull Magistrates' Court, Scarah was given a 12-month prison sentence suspended for two years for the offences under the Animal Welfare Act, and a five-month sentence, also suspended for two years, to run concurrently for the badger sett offence.
He was also ordered to complete 60 hours of unpaid work along with ten rehabilitation activity requirement days. He must also pay £600 costs and a £187 victims' surcharge.
When Scarah pleaded guilty, he also agreed to sign Buddy over into RSPCA care so he could be rehomed. The dog was taken into RSPCA care and sent to the charity’s Blackberry Farm Animal Centre. It is hoped he will soon be available for rehoming.
Humberside Police Rural Task Force Police Sergeant, Kevin Jones, said: “The persecution of badgers is a UK wildlife crime priority and a priority for the Humberside Police Rural Task Force. Not only does it involve barbaric acts of cruelty against badgers, but it also causes horrific injuries to the dogs involved, all of which trigger offences under the Animal Welfare Act.
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“The criminals involved do not care about the suffering caused to the protected wildlife species nor their own dogs.
“This sentencing sends a strong message of our zero-tolerance response to badger crime and animal welfare offences.
“The partnership work in this case highlights the outstanding relationship between the police, RSPCA, and Naturewatch Foundation, all of whom are committed to taking positive action and utilising all available legislation against those who engage in wildlife crime in Humberside.
“I would like to pass on my continued thanks to Naturewatch Foundation for their assistance with this case and to the RSPCA for their excellent partnership investigation, which has ultimately led to a conviction, sending a clear deterrent message.”
