Stormy was rescued and adopted by a loving family. Photo: RSPCA ACT.
CONTENT WARNING: This article refers to and contains graphic footage of animal cruelty.
RSPCA ACT has welcomed the conviction of a man found guilty of animal cruelty charges after he was recorded hitting and kicking his pet puppy, but says the sentence falls short of community expectations.
Jett Black, who had previous convictions for violence, appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court and was given a one-month suspended jail sentence, a two-year good behaviour order and banned for three years for owning a pet.
RSPCA ACT CEO Michelle Robertson said the sentence fell short of what its inspectors and the community expected.
But she was grateful that a conviction was recorded and penalties were imposed.
“Our inspectors can’t be everywhere at once and we appreciate the community’s support,” she said.
“I encourage anyone who witnesses animal cruelty to report it through the correct channels to our team.”
RSPCA ACT inspectors began investigating after it received several anonymous tips about the man’s behaviour.
Inspectors began investigating and attained a video recorded in February 2025 by witnesses, depicting the accused kicking and screaming profanities at the 12-week-old American-staffordshire terrier type puppy called Stormy.
Witnesses told the inspectors they heard the man screaming that he would kill Stormy and that there was nobody to protect her.
Clear audio of the man’s kick to Stormy could be heard inside a neighbouring house.
Ms Robertson said the video footage was both confronting and distressing.
“It was chilling and quite frankly heartbreaking seeing the aggression towards Stormy. She was shrinking into herself, making herself small,” she said.
“It is very confronting to witness hitting, kicking or yelling profanities like that at any living being, especially at an innocent puppy.”
“I really appreciate those kind people who came forward and reported the incidents and those who supplied the video footage; thank you for caring about animals and standing up for Stormy.”
Jett Black leaves court in May. Photo: Albert McKnight.
The puppy was able to recover at the RSPCA ACT shelter and has been adopted into a loving family home.
Black was sentenced in May for taking part in the 2023 bashing of an intellectually disabled man, who had complained about the ruckus a group of men were making in a residential street in Gungahlin, including jumping on parked cars.
He was sentenced to three years and 11 months’ jail, partially suspended to account for time served, which allowed him to leave court that day. He had to comply with a good behaviour order until November 2028.
Black was also was one of the detainees who rioted at the Alexander Maconochie Centre on 10 November, 2020, during which fires were lit and the facility was damaged.
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