CONVICTED (2015) | Elizabeth Lamb, aka Lisa Cole, born 7 June 1965, previously of Bransgore, Hampshire, but confirmed in October 2022 to be living in Aylesbury Road, Bournemouth BH1 4HP – abandoned a starving dog.
Elizabeth Lamb pleaded guilty to failing to protect her lurcher Lucy, renamed Hettie, from suffering by not investigating the cause of her weight loss. She also pleaded guilty to failing to provide adequate flea treatment which caused a skin condition.
Vets who examined Hettie believed that she had not been allowed access to sufficient food over a period of many weeks if not months.
Inspector Bailey said: “Hettie, was without doubt one of the skinniest dogs I have dealt with in this job.
“She was handed to the local dog warden after having allegedly been found wandering in woodland in Bransgore in February this year.
“Weighing just 9.1kg on admission to the kennels, she was grossly underweight, emaciated and skeletal. She was literally just skin and bone.
“I remember trying to comfort her but when gently stroking her body and my hand was literally getting caught on her prominent bones. She looked so pitiful and sad. I am just so glad she was rescued in time.”
He added: “Thankfully when I saw Hettie again just over a month later, although still not quite at her optimum weight, at 13.7kg she was already a transformed dog. All she had needed was some good food and some flea treatment.
“Thanks to the excellent care from Blue Cross in Southampton. Her fur was growing back and she had a good coverage of body fat and muscle tone developing.
“She was and still is a beautiful, gentle, kind-natured dog and I’m delighted to hear she was adopted so quickly.”
Sentencing | 12-month conditional discharge; £115 in costs and victim surcharge. Five-year ban on keeping all animals (expired 2020).