Call for tougher sentences after West Lothian man who shook dog to death is banned from keeping pets
Chihuahua Ollie was shaken violently in June 2024 and suffered a severe brain haemorrhage.
Calls have been made for “longer and stronger” sentences for animal cruelty after a West Lothian man who shook a small dog to death was banned from keeping pets for five years.
Clynton Hagen violently shook his partner‘s Chihuahua, Ollie, in June 2024, causing the dog to suffer a severe brain haemorrhage.
Hagen’s then-partner Kara Davies returned home early from work to find her beloved pet collapsed and not breathing. She took Ollie to the vet but despite attempts to resuscitate him, the five-year-old dog died.
Kara ordered a post-mortem examination for Ollie, who had helped support her through a severe illness, and the exam found that the small dog had died from severe brain bleeding.
Kara, who reported Hagen to the Scottish SPCA’s Animal Helpline, is now calling for penalties to be tougher in serious animal abuse cases. And the welfare charity has also renewed calls for a national register to stop offenders breaching bans.
Kara said: “This has been an utterly devastating experience, losing Ollie in such a violent and cruel way is a trauma I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
“Within an hour of me leaving for work my whole world had shattered. Ollie meant everything to me and was such a deeply loved part of my family.”
Kara said: “While I am relieved there has finally been accountability, I believe serious cases of animal cruelty should result in much stronger and longer sentences and bans on owning and keeping animals.”
Reacting to the sentencing, the SSPCA inspector said: “We welcome the Sheriff’s decision. Hagen’s violent actions caused immense suffering to Ollie and left his owner devastated.
“He should never be allowed to take care of an animal again and a ban will help ensure he never does at least for the next five years.
“I would like to commend Kara Davies for her help and tenacity throughout this very traumatic investigation.
“However, there remains a risk that offenders could go on to re-offend or breach animal ownership bans without being detected.
“This is why we are calling for a National Animal Offenders Register: a centralised system that would help enforcement agencies identify people who are banned from keeping animals and prevent them from slipping through the gaps.
“Importantly, animal abuse is often a warning sign for human-related abuse, meaning a joined-up system will help frontline officers spot wider safeguarding risks.”
The Scottish SPCA’s call for a National Animal Offenders Register is one of the four main asks of its recently published manifesto.
A spokesperson said: “Delivering on these will help ensure Scotland is at the forefront of animal welfare and is crucial to prevent future harm and tackle repeat offending.
“In turn, this is essential to help achieve our mission to make Scotland the best place for an animal to call home.”
Hagen was sentenced at Livingston Sheriff Court on Thursday, August 13, after he pleaded guilty to an animal welfare charge. He was handed a five-year ban on owning and keeping animals and was also ordered to carry out 265 hours of unpaid work.
To report a concern of cruelty, visit the Scottish SPCA website.