Cameron James Evans sentenced on animal cruelty charge after cutting off dog’s ear in Geraldton

A Geraldton man who cut an ear off a six-month-old puppy during a mental health episode has been sentenced to a seven month intensive supervision order. Cameron James Evans reappeared in Geraldton Magistrate’s Court on Monday to be sentenced on eight charges including aggravated burglary, common assault and ill-treating an animal contrary to the Animal Welfare Act. The court was told Evans injured the animal after an argument with his partner on February 19, telling the woman: “I will kill the dog, I will cut its ear off”, before leaving the room with a kitchen knife. He returned minutes later holding the right ear of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppy, causing the woman to flee the property with their dogs. At a previous court appearance, his lawyer Georgia Keysers said he had tried to cut his own ear off at the time due to his extreme intoxication and poor mental health. “He told me he was on medication previously ... but hasn’t been on them since 2016,” she said. Evans was ordered by the court to surrender the dog to the RSPCA, with a spokesperson for the organisation saying the puppy had been treated by a local vet and was now in the care of the organisation. He was sentenced to a seven month intensive supervision order, fined $2100, ordered to pay court costs of $627.90 and banned from owning a dog for two years.