SIU Investigation – Badger Baiter
From tip-off to take down, this is how our Special Investigations Unit (SIU) apprehended a known perpetrator of animal fighting and exposed his ring of abuse.
Trigger Warning – Descriptions of animal violence, abuse and injury
Sean Garland of Dufftown, Scotland, was recently sentenced for charges related to animal fighting. Garland callously forced his dogs to participate in animal fighting, subjecting them to years of unnecessary suffering and leaving them with life-threatening injuries. A relentless investigation by our SIU team revealed his participation in this sick sport and took him down just in time.
Abuse for entertainment
We’re the SIU, a team working within the Scottish SPCA to investigate serious, organised and protracted animal-related crimes. Animal fighting is a brutal, merciless industry that spans across Scotland, exploiting and abusing both domestic pets and wildlife. Perpetrators of this trade view the death and suffering of innocent animals as entertainment, or “sport”.
Badger baiting is one of the biggest “sports” within the animal fighting underworld and is the highest level of animal cruelty that we see as a unit. Certain dog breeds are used to lure badgers out of their setts, where they are forced to fight to the death.
Terriers are usually the dog of choice for seeking out badgers. They’re kitted with a tracking collar and trained to hold the badger in place in their setts, whilst the perpetrator digs down to expose the badger. This results in horrific facial traumas such as degloving injuries where the skin is torn from the dog’s face. We’ve also seen instances of dogs’ noses and jaws being ripped off. These horrifying injuries are often left untreated as the dogs’ owner wants to preserve their operation and not risk being exposed by vets. They would rather leave innocent dogs to suffer in unimaginable pain. If they are treated, this is at home with super glue, hot salty water or even staple guns.
Larger dogs, referred to as “drawing dogs” are used to drag the badgers above ground and fight them. These dogs usually consist of breeds like Bull Lurchers and types of Pitbulls. They are also usually found with historic, painful injuries such as bite marks on their legs, scarring across their muzzles and puncture wounds. Badgers have strong jaws, thick skin and sharp claws that can all inflict serious damage.
The people who run these operations will keep using and abusing these dogs until their injuries prove too extensive. Then, they will leave them to rot, or kill and bury them with the deceased badgers. Either way, they are discarded once their tormentor’s “fun” is over.
Unfortunately, badger baiting is common across Scotland; however, just as with most cases of serious animal-related crime, it’s difficult to gather intelligence as it operates deep in the underworld of organised crime. We rely on tip-offs and witnesses to help us build a case and bust these badger baiting rings.
Getting Garland
We knew of Garland and suspected he was involved in this industry, but could never get close enough to his operation. That was until we received vital intelligence that Garland was keeping dogs for the purpose of animal fighting, using them to bait badgers and other wildlife. We believed that the dogs on site had severe facial injuries which were most likely left untreated. If this was true, then these dogs would be in pain, suffering and at serious risk of infection.
We had an immediate and real concern for the welfare of the dogs in Garland’s possession, and knew we had to search his property as soon as possible.
Two dogs, unspeakable injuries
When we arrived at the property, Garland unfortunately wasn’t home, but his wife was. We entered with our search warrant and immediately found an older Patterdale Terrier, cowering in a kennel. This dog had a number of historic, badly healed injuries consistent with badger baiting. She had been left to rot due to her age and the extent of her injuries. She had a particularly nasty old wound that extended from her lip to her nose. We later found out that she also had leg fractures and eye infections that had been left untreated. The lack of care and attention paid to these injures had caused them to worsen over time.
Another Terrier was found in a crate in the kitchen. She was younger and it was clear that she was the one currently partaking in the badger baiting. She had a ‘V’ shaped muzzle caused by a crushing injury, where the badger had gripped her muzzle with such strength that it had completely crushed it. These dogs had clearly been subjected to horrors, left suffering for sport.
After rescuing these dogs, we searched the rest of the property and found a bag filled with tracking collars and a locating box – classic tools of badger baiting. We couldn’t find a mobile phone which was disappointing as we had knowledge that the phone held visual evidence of the animal fighting.
Despite this, the injuries to the dogs were more than enough to prove Garland’s participation in illegal animal fighting. Upon examination, a vet concluded that the dogs would’ve suffered unnecessarily when the injuries were inflicted and while they were left untreated. A specialist in badger baiting stated that the injuries were consistent with face-to-face combat with wild animals.
It was clear that Garland has failed in protecting these animals from pain, distress and suffering over a long period of time. There were communications and evidence seized that implied there was a third dog, however, we didn’t find this dog during the search and it was indicated in the communications that it had died from a broken jaw.
Calling full-time on this cruel sport
After reviewing the evidence, and receiving confirmation that the DNA found on the tracking collars did in fact belong to a badger, we gave everything to the Procurator Fiscals Office and awaited trial.
Sean Garland pled guilty to keeping three dogs for the purposes of animal fighting and failing to obtain veterinary treatment for facial injuries causing unnecessary suffering to the two Patterdale terriers that we found.
He was sentenced at Elgin Sheriff Court on the 13th of June 2024. He received a community payback order of 200 hours and a 10-year ban on owning, keeping, or working with any animals.
Reflecting on the case
The 10-year ban was a win for us, but we were hoping for a custodial sentence too. The unimaginable abuse and neglect that these dogs suffered was deserving of a more significant sentence.
In animal crime cases, the sentencing doesn’t often reflect the seriousness of the offence and this can be frustrating.
A happy ending for the two Terriers
The two Patterdale Terriers were immediately taken to the vets when we found them. They managed to completely reconstruct the younger Terrier’s jaw and treat both dogs for their extensive injuries.
We were ecstatic to hear that they both made a full recovery and were rehomed. They’re now thriving, battle scars and all, and living a life filled with love.
How you can help
Without the vital intelligence we received to kick start this case, these two innocent animals would’ve either succumbed to their injuries or died as a result of fighting with badgers.
If you’ve noticed any suspicious behaviour in your area or on social media regarding animal fighting or are aware of a dog that has injuries consistent with badger baiting, then please get in touch today and help us put an end to this this unnecessary, abusive “sport”.
Support our Special Investigations Unit
Our efforts are entirely funded by donations to the Scottish SPCA. Without these, we would be unable to undertake these investigations and rescue animals from these exploitative, abusive industries.
We can’t investigate and solve serious animal-related crimes without you.
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