A man from Bidwill, in Sydney's west, has been charged with two counts of aggravated animal cruelty after a witness secretly filmed him repeatedly hitting a distressed dog with a wooden plank and dropping a chair on it. The footage, shared by advocacy group Australians Against Animal Abuse, prompted Mt Druitt Police to track down and charge the man, with the case now before the courts. The incident has renewed concern over animal welfare standards in New South Wales, where cruelty cases remain widespread.

Police allege the attack took place on 23 August, and the video shows the dog, a medium-sized white breed similar to a mastiff, cowering and restrained by a chain in a debris-strewn backyard before retreating into a shed. The dog has since been taken into RSPCA care after being found "terrified and highly distressed". RSPCA NSW's latest welfare report recorded almost 18,000 cruelty reports in the 2025–26 financial year, with the City of Blacktown—which includes Bidwill—topping the state for animal impoundments and welfare investigations. Aggravated cruelty offences in NSW carry a maximum penalty of 200 penalty units (about A$22,000) or two years' imprisonment.