JOSHUA PONSFORD FROM ST GEORGE BRISTOL BANNED AFTER ABUSING HIS DOG LULU

Joshua Ponsford, born on 28 May 1997 and residing at 73 Clouds Hill Road, St George, Bristol BS5 7LG, was convicted in 2020 for subjecting his pet dog to psychological abuse. The case was brought to court by the RSPCA after they obtained and reviewed disturbing audio recordings that captured Ponsford’s verbal mistreatment of his dog, Lulu, a rottweiler.

Prosecutors presented evidence that included recordings of Ponsford shouting and screaming at Lulu in a manner that clearly indicated anger and frustration. In one recording, which lasted just under a minute, Ponsford can be heard repeatedly commanding Lulu to go to her bed, using aggressive language such as “Get in your bed now, get in your fucking bed now, go in your bed now, now, now you fucking stay there. You dirty little mutt.” The audio also contains sounds of thuds and Lulu’s yelps, indicating distress and possible physical impact, followed by Ponsford’s shouting of commands like “now,” “You and your fucking ball dog. I’ve had enough of all your hiding toys, yeah, yeah,” and “shut it.”

Another recording, approximately 57 seconds long, further illustrates Ponsford’s treatment of Lulu. His voice is heard saying, “Going to walk to the shop again and get myself some bits. Don’t even think of robbing,” before Lulu’s yelping, whimpering, and barking are audible. Ponsford then yells “shut it” and comments on his flat, saying, “look at my flat bro, my flat is covered,” which suggests a dismissive attitude towards Lulu’s distress.

The third recording, shorter at 17 seconds, captures Lulu’s screams of pain or fear. Ponsford is heard threatening, “I’ll fucking have you,” followed by Lulu whimpering. The audio continues with Ponsford shouting “move,” as the sounds of repeated thuds and Lulu’s yelping persist. He then commands, “go back into the room dog,” indicating ongoing distress and possible physical punishment.

RSPCA inspector Miranda Albinson commented on the recordings, stating, “Throughout these recordings the male, who can be heard, is clearly angry and can be heard yelling at the dog.”

Although Ponsford denied physically harming Lulu, he admitted that his behavior was inappropriate and that it caused Lulu distress over a period of time. Veterinary surgeon David Martin provided expert testimony, asserting that Lulu undoubtedly suffered from mental fear and terror due to the verbal abuse demonstrated in the recordings. Dr. Martin emphasized that dogs are highly responsive to tone and volume, and that recurrent verbal abuse can lead to long-term fear and distress. He highlighted that modern dog training emphasizes reward-based methods, and that physical or verbal abuse is both ineffective and harmful.

Following the court proceedings, Lulu was surrendered to the care of the RSPCA and is currently being rehabilitated at the Bristol Animal Rescue Centre. Staff at the centre describe her as a lovely dog who has bonded well with her carers but still requires time to adjust to new environments before being adopted into a loving home.

In terms of sentencing, Ponsford was ordered to complete a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement, serve a six-week curfew, and pay costs and charges amounting to £290. Additionally, he received a five-year ban from keeping animals, which can be appealed after three years and is set to expire in November 2025.