CONVICTED (2022) | serial offender Kyla Martin, born 20 November 1990, and now of 11 Bycars Road, Burslem, Stoke on Trent ST6 1BY – left an emaciated lurcher to suffer with multiple skin lesions and an excruciating abscess.

Persistent animal abuser Martin, who was given a three-year ban in 2017 after leaving a horse to die in a water-logged field, eventually took three-year-old Poppy to the vet after the dog collapsed, and asked that she be euthanised.

Martin, who shares two other dogs with partner Andrew Dutton, told the vet she could not afford for a blood profile to be done and would prefer Poppy to be put down. But the dog was sent to a rehoming centre and is now in a healthy state.

RSPCA prosecutor Jayne Skeates aid the defendant took Poppy to Goldenhill Vets4Pets on January 12, 2022.

Miss Skeates said: “There were signs of multiple skin lesions and a large abscess on her back. The vet reported she was emaciated and a body score of one out of nine. Her skin was fragile, there were multiple areas of hair loss, including her feet and tail, and evidence of tail biting.

“The vet formed the opinion Poppy was experiencing signs of discomfort because of the abscess. The defendant was upset the dog was in her state. She said she was unable to afford for a blood profile to be taken and would prefer she was euthanised. She signed the dog over for veterinary care so they could continue looking after her.”

Poppy was sent to a rehoming centre and was examined by another vet. He assessed the body score as one out of nine.

Miss Skeates said: “She was bright and alert. The dog was offered a full clinical examination. There was no aggressiveness. There was poor muscle mass, the skin was lacerated and the top of her tail was missing. The bony element of the tail was exposed. There was a large abscess on the back of the spine.

“In his clinical opinion the dog was suffering from experiencing hunger, a lack of protection from danger and a lack of veterinary care. There were no underlying health issues.”

Martin said Poppy had started to lose weight about a week before going to the vets. She went to skin and bone and started to bite her legs and tail. She had changed her food and the dog had suffered from diarrhea. She said she noticed the sore on her back two weeks before.

Poppy has now put on considerable weight. Her tail was amputated and the wound on her back was treated.

Sentencing | 12-month community order of unpaid work and rehabilitation activity. She was banned from owning or keeping an animal for a further three years (expires July 2025).

Stoke Sentinel
Metro
Stoke Sentinel 14 July 2022

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Additional Information

After Poppy was removed from her, Kyla Martin lied to friends that the had been put to sleep because she had cancer. One friend took to social media to post a screenshot of a conversation she had had with Martin.

Kyla Martin runs a nail business.

She lives with Andrew Dutton, born 1 March 1981, of whom one Facebook user wrote that “he sits on his arse drinking and eating and threatening women.”

The pair of them have a baby daughter named Crystal-Grace.