Cowie was reported to the Scottish SPCA by a concerned member of the public who noticed a large swelling on the left side of his dog’s face in July 2025.
An inspector attempted to make contact with Cowie – a convicted sex offender and domestic abuser* – a number of times before she eventually got him on the phone.
She told Cowie, who was verbally abusive to her down the phone, that she was aware his dog required medical attention. Concerned for the dog’s welfare, the inspector called Cowie straight back and advised that his language was unacceptable and that she was only calling to offer assistance for his dog.
The inspector visited Cowie and was shown 14-year-old Kaido. Suspecting the dog had an abscess, she advised Cowie that his pet needed to be seen by a vet.
The inspector took Kaido to a vet after Cowie claimed that he couldn’t afford vet treatment and wasn’t registered with the PDSA.
By the time Kaido arrived at the vet, his swelling was producing a bloody discharge.
An exam confirmed an abscess.
The vet did not want to perform a surgical procedure at this time due to the location of the abscess so instead, they handed over a seven-day course of antibiotics to start the following day at home to the inspector and said that Kaido should be brought back in a week for a check-in.
The inspector passed on this information to Cowie when he arrived at the vet practice.
Kaido was registered at the vet by the Scottish SPCA and an appointment was arranged for re-examination.
Cowie advised the inspector when she called about the appointment, however, that he had attended the PDSA with Kaido but left before his appointment as he alleged he was being ‘aggressive’ to other dogs in the waiting area.
The inspector also attended Cowie’s address to ensure that the home was suitable to live in. The inspector noted that the property was dirty, cluttered and that the smell of excrement was strong.
A new appointment was arranged at the time for Kaido to go to the vet. A number of attempts were made once more to reach Cowie following this visit but he did not respond.
Growing increasingly concerned for Kaido’s welfare and Cowie’s refusal to take him back to the vet, the Inspector obtained a warrant to enter the property and rescue the dog.
In August 2025, the Scottish SPCA attended the property alongside Police Scotland and seized Kaido. He was taken to a vet, who confirmed that Cowie had caused him unnecessary suffering after failing to have his painful ear infection treated and had allowed it to get so severe that an abscess had formed.
Cowie also failed to continue with the necessary follow-up treatment at the vet after the Scottish SPCA’s initial assistance – causing further suffering. The vet concluded that Kaido’s condition would have taken at least two months to be as severe as it was. He sadly had to be euthanised due to his condition.
A vet confirmed that Cowie had caused Kaido unnecessary suffering by failing to have a painful ear infection treated and had allowed it to get so severe that an abscess had formed.
The Scottish SPCA Inspector said: “I am pleased with the sentence but extremely disappointed with Cowie. I believed he had his own struggles, and I made an effort to help him.
“He had absolutely no excuse for not providing his dog with veterinary treatment, as I arranged everything for him, from covering the cost of initial vet treatment to assisting with registration at the PDSA and making appointments.
“I can only conclude that Cowie held no regard for his dog’s welfare. This was also substantiated by his failure to take on advice and clean his property.”
Sentenced to 18-month community payback order with 180 hours of unpaid work. Five-year ban on owning and keeping all animals (expires March 2031).
*Additional Information
In August 2018, Cowie who then went by the name Connor Mathieson, was jailed for six years after admitting a string of offences against women.
He targeted one woman with abuse and violence. This involved pushing her on a bed, restricting her breathing, wrapping a cable around her neck and causing her to lose consciousness, pinning her against a wall, holding an axe to her body and threatening to kill her.
Cowie/Mathieson also held a knife against the woman’s head and punched her, leaving her with severe injuries.
He also had sex with two underage girls at a property in Aberdeen.
His offences took place over a four-year period, ending in August 2017,
Sheriff Jack Brown jailed Cowie/Mathieson for six years and placed him on the sex offenders register for life.