DEVON
PERSONS
CONVICTED 4
TOTAL
CONVICTIONS 6
Investigating officer:
RSPCA Inspector
Marije Zwager
Defendants:
Male 27, unemployed;
female 29, unemployed
Offences:
Animal Welfare Act 2006 s9
Pleas:
Guilty
Total convictions:
Two
Sentence:
Both disqualified from keeping
dogs for 10 years; £250 costs
each. Male received 120
hours' unpaid work. Female
received two-year conditional
discharge. Sentence subject
to appeal.
Prosecuted by:
Nash & Co Solicitors
DevonA collie-springer spaniel-cross, called Mazie, was
found with extensive fur loss on the underside of
her body, legs and head, and open, weeping sores.
The black-and-white dog, just 14
months old, had red, thickened,
flaky skin covered with scabs.
RSPCA Inspector Marije Zwager
noticed a strong smell, and Mazie
appeared very dejected.
RSPCA inspectors had advised
Mazie's owners, on previous
occasions, that they must take her
to a vet for follow-up treatment
but they had failed to do so.
Inspector Zwager took Mazie to
a vet, where skin scrapes revealed
she had demodetic mange. She
was treated with antibiotics and
was also treated for fleas.
Inspector Zwager said: "We visited
on several occasions, and paid for
veterinary treatment, but Mazie's
skin was left to gradually worsen.
We always want to protect animals
and improve their health along
with their owners, but this is just
not possible where owners fail to
act on our help and advice."
Mazie was cared for in an RSPCA
animal centre. She made an
excellent recovery and has been
successfully rehomed.
Investigating officer:
RSPCA Inspector
Sarah Gardner
Defendant:
Female 26, care assistant
Offences:
Animal Welfare Act 2006 s9
Pleas:
Guilty
Total convictions:
Four
Sentence:
Disqualified from keeping
animals for life; 200 hours'
unpaid work; £400 costs.
Prosecuted by:
Wykes O'Donnell Williams
Solicitors
DERBYSHIRE
PERSONS
CONVICTED 25
TOTAL
CONVICTIONS 54
DerbyshireA woman who ran a cat 'rescue' centre allowed
seven cats to die slow, painful deaths in a dark shed
with no comfort or veterinary care.
Despite accepting donations
to run the centre, she had left
the cats in a totally unsuitable
environment. The shed was in a
filthy condition with the dead
cats shut inside wire crates - a
pitiful sight that shocked the
attending vet.
Four cats were living in sordid
conditions inside the woman's
house. Litter trays were
overflowing and window ledges
strewn with faeces. The cats had
no water available and when
the kitchen tap was turned on,
all four jumped onto the work
surface and started drinking
straight from the tap.
Outside, RSPCA Inspector Sarah
Gardner found several black bin
liners containing dirty litter and
the carcasses of three further
cats. She suspected there were
more bodies due to the smell
and the presence of maggots.
In interview, the woman showed
no emotion when shown
photographs of the dead cats.
Inspector Gardner
found several black bin
liners containing dirty
litter and the carcasses
of three further cats.
Mazie when first found
and (right) after her recovery.
12 PROSECUTIONS
Annual report OUR FRONTLINE WORK
2014