Two dogs left for dead after ‘barbaric’ attack reunited years later

Looking at the panting smiles of these two brothers you’d think there couldn’t be two happier dogs. But in 2019 they were close to death after being bashed with a mallet near Albany in an attack described by a magistrate as a “barbaric act with untold suffering”. The pair survived and, after recovering from their injuries, were adopted by two kind owners. Djilba now lives with Anne and Joe in Northbridge, while Henry resides on the coast at Falcon, just south of Perth. This week the shih tzu-Maltese crosses, Djilba and Henry, were reunited at Rockingham’s Governor Reserve for the first time since their near-death ordeal — and the “chasing” games soon began. The man who unleashed the pain on the pups, John Druin Hooper, told Albany Magistrate’s Court that he intended to kill the dogs in what he believed at the time was “an ethical decision”. However, last month the court was told the 45-year-old Narrikup man had repeatedly bashed them over the head with a mallet, then left them for dead at a tree plantation in Redmond. Hooper admitted he intended to kill the dogs — in what he believed at the time was “an ethical decision”. Magistrate Dianne Scaddan fined Hooper $15,000 and banned him from owning animals for three years. Jet, now Djilba, is loving life with his new owners Anne and Joe and has made a full recovery as a “city dog”. Djilba is the Noongar season covering August-September, when new life blooms. Owner Joe said Djilba had been in “doggy heaven” since they picked him up in August 2019. “He has a pretty good life now, he’s a city dog, he sleeps on our bed, loves going for walks ... he’s a happy dog,” Joe said. He said Djilba was physically OK despite some shoulder problems, but wary of other people and loud noises. “We were expecting him to be a lot more fragile and nervous but he adjusted pretty quickly,” Joe said. One hour south of Perth, Djilba’s brother Henry lives with his new family in Falcon. While Henry’s owner Libby said he was “doing really well” and was shocked to read about what the dogs had endured. “He’s really happy — he loves us and we love him,” she said. Libby said her 18-year-old daughter Bella “loves him to bits”. “His separation anxiety is extreme, which we are continuing to work on, managing it by making sure someone is home or (by taking him) with us,” Libby said. “Henry has come such a long way since he first joined our family, we are very fortunate to have Henry and love having him around.”