NORTHUMBERLAND
PERSONS
CONVICTED 9
TOTAL
CONVICTIONS 19
Investigating officer:
RSPCA Inspector Claire Hunt
Defendant:
Female 22, unemployed
Offences:
Animal Welfare Act 2006 s4
Pleas:
Guilty
Total convictions:
Two
Sentence:
Disqualified from keeping
animals for 10 years; 10 weeks'
imprisonment suspended for
12 months; 12-month
supervision order; £150 costs.
Prosecuted by:
McKeags Solicitors
NorthumberlandA woman who had, weeks earlier, been disqualified
from keeping animals for five years allowed two
puppies and a cat to die of starvation.
Despite the RSPCA having already
removed neglected animals from
her the woman, who admitted
she got drunk a lot, had continued
to acquire and neglect animals.
Police, accompanied by RSPCA
Inspector Claire Hunt, discovered
the bodies of two puppies and a
cat wrapped in blankets in a black
bag in the living room. All the
animals were underweight with
their bones visible. The property
was extremely dirty with piles
of faeces in the corners of every
room and hazards scattered over
the floor, including empty catfood
tins that appeared to have been
licked clean. There was no food or
water available and the smell of
decay was overpowering.
A vet confirmed the cat had been
dead for at least a month, and
that the animals had suffered for
at least two weeks from thirst,
hunger, progressive weakness and
stress before dying.
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
PERSONS
CONVICTED 15
TOTAL
CONVICTIONS 45
Investigating officer:
RSPCA Inspector
Polly Underwood
Defendant:
Female 44, carer
Offence:
Animal Welfare Act 2006 s4
Plea:
Guilty
Total convictions:
One
Sentence:
Disqualified from
keeping animals for life;
20 weeks' imprisonment.
Prosecuted by:
Headleys Solicitors
NorthamptonshireA woman failed to seek veterinary treatment for
her dog when it was clearly needed, allowing him to
deteriorate so badly that his limbs rotted away.
RSPCA Inspector Polly Underwood
found the crossbreed, called
George, with extensive infected
wounds. He had a large tumour on
the pad of his right foot and all four
limbs had bloody, infected lesions
from paw to shoulder. George
licked and gnawed at his legs, and it
appeared that the flesh had worn
down to the bone in places.
Once at the veterinary surgery,
the vet examined George as
gently as she could, however he
was in such extreme pain and
distress she had to euthanase
him on welfare grounds.
In passing sentence the woman
was told: "In the 22 years'
experience of this bench this is
the worst case of animal cruelty
any of us have ever seen. We note
that the vet said also in her 15
years' experience it was the worst
case of animal neglect that she
had seen. The matter is further
aggravated by the fact that you are
a carer for your father and brother
and yet could treat animals in this
way. We see no excuse."
26PROSECUTIONS
Annual report OUR FRONTLINE WORK
2014