Revealed: shocking stories of animal cruelty on London's train network

 
Victim: Mark Richards' Cockapoo Apollo was mauled to death outside Herne Hill station earlier this year (Pictures: Getty/Mark Richards)
Ramzy Alwakeel6 May 2015

A woman who bit a dog and a man who tried to force open a barrier using his pet as a shield are just two of the shocking cases of animal cruelty reported on London's rail network, the Standard can reveal.

The allegations, revealed after a Freedom of Information request to British Transport Police, also include a man who threw his pet at a wall "with a lot of force".

Some of the reports resulted in arrests or referrals to the RSPCA - but five of the 14 offences recorded over the last five years saw transport police "unable to locate the suspect".

RSPCA spokeswoman Katya Mira said the charity was "very concerned" by reports of animal welfare offences on public transport.

"We ask anyone with any concerns to call us on 0300 1234 999," she said.

Treasured pet: Mark Richards' Cockapoo Apollo was just four months old when he was mauled to death by another dog outside Herne Hill station in March

Some of the most horrifying reports include:

- A woman who bit a man's dog "to the rear of its body, towards the bottom area, twice" at Walthamstow Central in December 2012;

- A man at West Ham who "tried to force the barriers open using his dog" in November 2012. The thug subsequently "approached [a] member of staff, said 'watch this,' [and] then dropped the dog";

- A man at Shortlands station, Bromley, in July 2014 who shouted at his dog while holding it aloft with one hand, then hurled it off the train onto a platform and kicked the animal as he left the station;

- A man "seen to cause unnecessary suffering to a kitten", again at Walthamstow Central, by "holding it by its paws" and "squeezing its body tightly" as well as holding it by the throat, ignoring the animal's attempts to free itself;

- A pet owner who "hit a dog with his leash and also threw the dog against the wall with a lot of force" at Great Portland Street in December 2013;

- A man who dealt six punches to a dog at Waterloo in April 2013, following which he was arrested for cruelty to animals.

In April the Standard reported on the fatal attack of a man's Cockapoo by another dog outside Herne Hill station, south London.

Mark Richards was walking the canine, Apollo, through an underpass when the Staffie-type dog attacked.

A British Transport Police spokeswoman called animal cruelty "completely unacceptable".

"Even one case of animal cruelty is one too many," she said, "and there have been a small number of people who have been deliberately cruel to animals on trains and at stations.

"This is not only incredibly distressing for the animal itself, but also for members of the public who witness it."

The RSPCA's Ms Mira urged pet owners to take extra care if travelling on public transport with their pets, as "the crowds and pace of the environment may cause stress and increase hazards".

She added: "We would in particular urge people to avoid taking pets on buses, trains and tubes during rush hour times when these dangers are likely to be higher."

It was revealed last month that cruelty to animals was on the rise, with the RSPCA recording 12,201 complaints in the capital last year.

Overall there were 159,831 complaints recorded nationwide in 2014, compared with 153,770 in 2013.

If you see animal cruelty on the transport network, BTP urge you to text 61016 or call 0800 40 50 40.

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