Man banned from keeping dogs for life after posting 'despicable' hunting videos

An man who posted videos of his dogs hunting wildlife on TikTok has been banned from keeping dogs for life

- By MARK PAGE

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.