Woman Arrested For Burying Dead Dog After Suffocating It With Duct Tape And Strangling Him With Collar

Hayley Cowan, 22-years-old from Tyldesley, was arrested after strangling her dog with his collar and suffocating him with duct tape. Cowan attempted to hide the animal abuse by burying the dog in the garden.

The dog, named Beau, was defenseless against her attack. Cowan was known to abuse Beau, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, which was witnessed by friends and neighbors. A concerned friend, according to the Manchester Evening News, noticed something was strange and decided to investigate into the dog’s disappearance. She noticed a shallow grave in Cowan’s back garden and proceeded to dig it up, finding Beau buried inside.

The friend immediately called the RSPCA, which kicked off an investigation into the death.

During the investigation, Cowan was accused of killing her dog Beau and was sentenced to 4 months in jail, according to Metro U.K. The chief inspector of the RSPCA, Cathy Hyde, hopes the sentencing sends out a message to others that might tempt the same sort of animal abuse.

‘The sentence sends out a very strong message – dreadful acts like this can result in prison sentences.”

Hyde also shared that the case was tough to investigate.

“This was a very heartbreaking case to investigate and only made possible by witnesses coming forward. It was very traumatic and upsetting so I am very grateful to them.I hope the sentence passed today will highlight the seriousness of the case and hopefully give Cowan the opportunity to reflect upon her actions against her defenceless dog Beau.”

Cowan did not deny the charges and pleaded guilty to the crime. In addition to jail time, she was ordered to pay the court costs of the RSPCA and was banned from keeping any type of animal as a pet for the rest of her life.

It was reported that the dog was previously taken away from Cowan by her friends, for kicking the dog in a brutal fashion. Cowan pleaded for Beau’s return and promised she would never hurt him again. The incident took place not long after his return.

Test results on Beau’s injuries confirmed that he was forcefully held down and strangled to death. The duct tape on his snout proved his suffocation.

Cowan did not show signs of regret for killing her dog, nor did she state why she killed him in such a brutal manner, rather than simply allowing her friends to keep the dog.

[Photo Courtesy: Manchester Evening News]