CONVICTED (2017) | Denise Smith, born c. 1959, of Axe Head Road, Briar Hill, Northampton NN4 8TF – used honey to treat cat’s cancer wound
Denise Smith was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to the cat, named Blacky, after treating a large cancerous wound on her leg with manuka honey. Blacky had to have her leg amputated.
While she survived surgery and was successfully rehomed, she had to be put to sleep a few months later when the cancer returned.
The court heard the RSPCA was contacted by a concerned member of the public on 30 August 2017.
Insp Michelle Hare said she found the cat with a heavily bandaged leg.
“When we took the bandages off I could see that Blacky had a large and cancerous wound on her leg which was so deep it had gone down to her tendons,” she said.
She said a vet recommended amputation.
“It turned out that Smith had been treating the wound with manuka honey, after reading online that it had anti-microbial properties – but it certainly isn’t something which should have been used on a wound like Blacky had,” she added.
Manuka honey is made from nectar collected by bees from the wild manuka tree, native to New Zealand.
An entry on the NHS Choices website says the effectiveness of manuka honey in combination with antibiotics has yet to be tested in clinical trials.
“People should not try using honey bought from supermarkets to treat wounds at home,” the site reads.
Sentencing: ordered to pay £615 in fines. Disqualified from keeping animals for 12 months (expired 2018).