Animal cruelty charges laid

A MAN will face Noosa Magistrates’ Court charged with animal cruelty after an unprovoked attack on a small dog.
Police will allege on Friday 27 February about 2.15pm, a man visited a food court in a local shopping centre with a white poodle cross in a backpack.
Witnesses said the man put the bag with the dog on the ground before zipping it closed, lifting the bag a metre high and dropping it to the ground, causing the dog to yelp.
A number of people who heard the yelp came to the dog’s aid, with one approaching the man, saying he couldn’t do that to an animal.
The man allegedly left the food court with the dog still in the bag and went to the bus stop where a witness saw him throw the bag against the seat.
Police detained the man when he tried to leave the shopping centre and said the man denied lifting the bag a second time.
CCTV footage is believed to have captured the cruel attack on the small dog.
Police said the RSPCA was contacted and the dog was released into their care.
The man will face Noosa Magistrates’ Court on 31 March.