Couple avoid jail after stuffing dog in bin bag and throwing her in canal
Couple avoid jail after stuffing dog in bin bag and throwing her in canal
Sadie Boyd and her husband, Terrence Boyd, have been prohibited from having any animals for the next 10 years.
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Add us as preferred source Comments By Molly Toolan 19:13, Tue, Jun 30, 2026 Updated: 19:14, Tue, Jun 30, 2026 
A couple has avoided prison despite pleading guilty, after being recorded on CCTV carrying a bin bag containing their elderly dog before throwing it into a canal. Sadie Boyd and her husband, Terrence Boyd, were filmed walking along Walter Street, Brierfield, with a black bag at approximately 9.05 am on August 27, 2025.
The CCTV footage showed the pair walking towards the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and then returning without the bag containing Maddie, an aged terrier-type dog, that had been abandoned in the canal. A passing dog walker saw the couple throw the bin bag into the canal, initially believing it to contain clothing. When the passerby noticed the bag begin to move, it raised alarm bells, and a member of the public jumped into the water to save the pet.
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Emergency services arrived at the scene, and Maddie was rescued by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service before being rushed to veterinary care by police.
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Later that day, the couple were detained at their residence, which was found to be the dog's microchip address.
At the premises, seven kittens and a corn snake were also found and seized due to welfare concerns.
Maddie's health began declining at the veterinary practice in the days after she was rescued. To prevent further suffering, she was euthanised, reports Lancs Live.
Terrence Boyd, 34, and Sadie Boyd, 32, both of Walter Street, Brierfield, were each handed eight weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months at Burnley Magistrates' Court on Wednesday (June 24).
The pair are now also prohibited from having any animals for the next 10 years after admitting to two charges under the Animal Welfare Act regarding Maddie, the kittens and the snake.
The veterinarian who cared for Maddie stated to the court: "On clinical examination, Maddie was hypothermic, with a temperature of 33.2°C (91.8°F). She was severely malnourished, with significant muscle atrophy."
She also explained that Maddie had multiple puncture wounds to her neck and a severe dental disease.
Due to being undernourished, one of the kittens was euthanised by the vet on welfare grounds.
During his interview with the RSPCA, Terrence Boyd stated he had little to no comment to offer. Sadie Boyd also declined to comment.
The defendants will undertake 20 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement Days and pay a victim surcharge of £154 each.
Following sentencing, RSPCA Chief Inspector Nix commented: "What happened to Maddie was horrifying and this incident was understandably the cause of great distress to people who were at the scene, the emergency services and the wider local community.
"I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone who came together and showed nothing but kindness towards Maddie. This includes members of the public who intervened, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service for their assistance at the scene, Lancashire Police for ensuring Maddie and other animals received urgent veterinary treatment, and businesses and residents who provided the RSPCA with invaluable CCTV footage.
"It was heartbreaking that Maddie's condition deteriorated and she ultimately could not be saved. I hope people will take some small comfort in the fact that those responsible for this shocking incident were able to be held to account for their actions and will not be able to keep animals for the foreseeable future."
The surviving kittens have now been rehomed along with the other animals found at the Boyds' property, not involved in any of the offences.
Kaley Cuoco Cried Filming ‘Big Bang Theory’ Breakup Scene Weeks After Real-Life Johnny Galecki Split
Kaley Cuoco had an emotional reaction to filming a breakup scene in The Big Bang Theory weeks after she and costar Johnny Galecki split in real life.
While appearing on the Monday, June 29, episode of “The Official Big Bang Theory Podcast,” director Anthony Rich recalled his first day on set which happened to be while filming the end of season 3. Rich, now 58, directed the episode “The Spaghetti Catalyst” which followed the aftermath of the breakup between Penny and Leonard, played by Cuoco and Galecki, respectively. The character’s split came shortly after the actors called it quits.
“There was a lot going on that week,” Rich joked, explaining that Cuoco and Galecki dated for “about two years” and split “four to six weeks earlier.”
Host Jessica Radloff added that Cuoco and Galecki handled the change in their personal lives “beautifully” as it was a “really difficult” situation.
Related: Kaley Cuoco and Ex Johnny Galecki's Friendship Through the Years
No hard feelings! Kaley Cuoco and Johnny Galecki have maintained a strong friendship since their 2009 split — and never let their personal lives get in the way of their professional bond. The actors worked together on the Big Bang Theory for 12 seasons from 2007 to 2019. When the series began, they sparked an […]“So now their characters are breaking up, and this is just hitting a little too close to home,” she said.
Rich recalled while filming the post-breakup scenes for Penny and Leonard, both Cuoco and Galecki felt like the script was “not giving proper attention to the demise of the relationship.” Rich explained that the writers did not want to give fans a “real sad breakup episode.”
“People don’t wanna watch that. They’re here to laugh,” he said.
Rich also shared that when it was time for Galecki and Cuoco to reunite in front of the cameras “it was hard for them to even get through it.” Rich claimed that Cuoco “started sobbing” and went off stage to collect herself. When Rich went to check on her, they had a sweet heart-to-heart.
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Related: Kaley Cuoco Would ‘Absolutely Reprise’ Penny Role in ‘The Big Bang Theory’
Kaley Cuoco has revealed she loves Penny in The Big Bang Theory just as much as fans do. Cuoco, 38, told People in an interview published on Saturday, October 19, that her role in the hit CBS sitcom made a significant impact on her life. “I spent 12 years playing that role, and it really […]“She goes, ‘I thought I could handle it, but it’s kinda catching up to me.’ And then she looks at me and she’s like, ‘And I’m ruining your episode.’ I was like, ‘You’re not ruining my episode,’” he recalled.
After the pep talk, Cuoco returned to film with Galecki. Rich praised both Cuoco and Galecki for being “such pros” during that time.
While Cuoco and Galecki’s characters ultimately got back together on The Big Bang Theory, the pair’s love story didn’t have the same ending in real-life. Cuoco found love with actor Tom Pelphrey whom she started dating in 2022. The couple share daughter Matilda, 2, and are currently expecting baby No. 2. In 2024, Johnny revealed he married wife Morgan Galecki and they quietly welcomed daughter Oona.
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Alex Cooper and Sofia Franklyn’s ‘Call Her Daddy’ Drama Explained: How Dave Portnoy Was Involved
The Alex Cooper and Sofia Franklyn “Call Her Daddy” drama will go down in history — so much so that Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy included it in his June 2026 memoir, Cancel Me If You Can.
“The revelation of Alex and Sofia’s torpedoed friendship was almost more than the public could handle,” Portnoy wrote in his book. “Two girls who the world loved to hate now hated each other.”
Portnoy’s version of the story offered more details that the public might not have been privy to before. For example, he first noticed Cooper on MLB pitcher Noah Syndergaard’s Instagram in 2017, when they were dating.
After hearing about her decision to launch a podcast, Portnoy reached out to Cooper, and the “Call Her Daddy” era began. The podcast launched at Barstool Sports in 2018 where it lived until 2021, when Cooper and the company mutually parted ways.
However, the end of the “Call Her Daddy” and Barstool era had tons of drama, which rocked the internet in 2020 as Cooper and Franklyn severed their friendship.
Keep scrolling for a complete breakdown:
The Contract Drama Begins
According to Portnoy, the contract drama began in 2019 after Cooper and Franklyn appeared on Logan Paul’s podcast. They started to “show their growing dissatisfaction” with being tied to Barstool, he claimed, and by the end of that year, lawyers were involved for contract negotiations.
By 2020, however, things got even rockier when the contract drama went public. In May of that year, Cooper told “Call Her Daddy” listeners that she and Frankyn had signed a three-year deal with Barstool, making $75,000 their first year, $85,000 the second year and $100,000 the third. They both got a raise during their first year because of how well the podcast was performing. Cooper, who handled the production side of the podcast, got an extra bump.
Behind the scenes, Franklyn’s then-boyfriend started shopping the show around to other networks. Portnoy got wind of this.
The Rooftop Meeting
This led to the infamous “rooftop meeting” in 2020 where Portnoy offered Cooper and Franklyn $500,000 along with “3.5 percent each of all merch they sold,” according to Portnoy’s book. “At the end of their term, they would own all their merch sales,” he explained. It also “cut six months off their contract so they would have to do the podcast with us for only one more year,” he wrote, noting that after the year ended, Barstool would “relinquish full ownership of the intellectual property.”
Cooper Accepts the Deal
Cooper had her own meeting with Portnoy and eventually accepted the deal.
“Alex left our meeting saying that she wanted to accept the deal. She also said that Sofia hated my guts, which came as a surprise,” he wrote. “The whole time I had believed that Alex was the one who didn’t like me, but I thought that I had a solid relationship with Sofia.”
Portnoy also admitted to leaking the story about the drama to The New York Post, leading to the end of Cooper and Franklyn’s friendship.
“It worked perfectly: Alex and Sofia completely severed all communication. They each believed the other had leaked the story,” Portnoy wrote. “The friendship, and the podcast as we knew it, would never exist again. They hated each other.”
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In June 2025, Cooper reflected on her friendship with Franklyn in the Call Her Alex docuseries. She noted that their relationship had started to fracture long before the contract drama.
“It became really difficult to enjoy the process,” Cooper said at the time. “It was the classic you think you see something online, and people genuinely believed we were like sisters, but our relationship was so awful.”
Franklyn’s Book
Franklyn announced her Daddy Issues memoir in February 2026. The book is set to tell the story of “girlhood, friendship, sexuality, agency and healing.”
“My story has only been told for me. And if you asked me to write this book five years ago you would have gotten a different story — fearful, vengeful, insecure, wounded with something to prove,” Franklyn shared in a statement at the time. “I couldn’t live truthfully until I told it in my own words, on my own terms, and in the most radically honest way I know how.”
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Deal Alert! This 44%-Off Throw-On Mini Dress Is Too Good to Leave in Your Cart View DealWhere Cooper and Portnoy Stand Now
Cooper and Portnoy still have a close-knit business relationship. During a June 2026 interview with Us Weekly, Portnoy even shared the advice he gave Cooper while she was going through some public drama.
He also explained how their relationship evolved — and where he stands with Franklyn — in his memoir.
“Through it all, Alex Cooper has never forgotten the company that helped launch her. She credits me and Barstool frequently, and I’m genuinely happy for all the success she has found,” he wrote. “I’m even hoping she helps me promote this book. I guess we’ll see what she thinks of this chapter. I have no f***ing idea what Sofia is doing.”
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