CONVICTED (2023) | animal hoarders John Symon, born 16 October 1981, and wife Victoria Symon, born c. 1986, both of 5 Seaton Gardens, Seaton, Aberdeen AB24 1XD – kept 60 neglected dogs, cats, small furries, birds and reptiles crammed into their flat.
Scottish SPCA inspectors discovered dozens of animals living in appalling conditions at the Symons’ small property, with the smell of animal excrement being described as “overpowering”.
The pair were initially offered support instead of prosecution, but continued to add more animals to their menagerie.
The SSPCA’s first inspection uncovered distressed dogs living in tiny cages among several cats, with various other species kept in enclosures – all coexisting in the couple’s lounge.
The hallway of the flat was covered in plastic sheeting caked in diarrhoea and urine.
The SSPCA inspector said it was obvious there were serious animal welfare issues but the Symons seemed oblivious to her concerns.
Prosecutor Lydia Ross told the court: “There were so many animals in this small property. The dogs were barking and rocking the cages intensely, which in turn was distressing the other animals.”
The couple signed over ownership of 13 animals – including bearded dragons, cats, dogs and snakes – to the SSPCA for rehoming.
Two days later the SSPCA took a further 39 pets into their care after the couple were persuaded they had too many animals to look after properly. The rescued pets included cats, kittens, dogs, rabbits, chinchillas, gerbils, small birds and a parrot. The couple had attempted to hide a litter of kittens in the bathroom but these too were signed over.
It was agreed at this stage that the couple could keep two dogs and two cats.
During a return visit on September 30, 2020, inspectors discovered the Symons had acquired another seven animals – kittens, rabbits, budgies and a degu.
The couple agreed to relinquish the new pets.
A vet confirmed that several of the animals had been caused unnecessary suffering while in the Symons’ care, with their poor living conditions being a major factor.
Concerned that the couple would go on to acquire more animals, the inspector reported them to Aberdeen City Council’s housing department.
Local authority officials advised the SSPCA that the couple had “learning difficulties” and were “vulnerable”.
The SSPCA initially decided to work with the couple to help them look after animals rather than prosecute them.
The Crown Office agreed with the approach, suggesting social workers be appointed to assist.
SSPCA inspectors returned to the Symons’ home five months later and made some grim discoveries.
The court was told: “On entering the stairwell of the tenement, there was a strong smell of cat urine”.
They found an empty chinchilla cage but the couple said they no longer had it.
Nearby was a small cage housing seven adult and mixed-sex guinea pigs. The cage was designed to house just two guinea pigs. No food, water or appropriate bedding had been provided for the animals.
All of the guinea pigs had sores on their feet, caused by living in a dirty and over-populated space.
The couple also had a new dog – a Staffordshire bull terrier-type named Jinks.
Further searches of the flat revealed even more animals, including a hamster that was found in good condition but in a dirty cage.
Cats were hidden in two bedroom cupboards.
Some of the animals appeared scared.
The inspector told the couple of her “disappointment at finding such an amount of animals again” after supporting the pair.
“At this point, Victoria and John Symon refused to sign over ownership of any animals into the care of the Scottish SPCA.”
The animals were therefore seized and the Symons were formally cautioned.
The local authority housing department withdrew permission for the couple to keep any pets in the flat.
Veterinary examination of the latest rescued pets uncovered a catalogue of neglect, with many of them being underfed and left to suffer a variety of ailments.
All the cats had highly transmissible ear mites, with the owners’ original two suffering the most severe infestation.
Both had small lacerations just inside their ears, which would have been caused by them scratching.
The Symons would have been aware that their cats had itchy ears and failed to seek veterinary treatment, the vet claimed.
The cats that were taken in had also not been fed enough to maintain an ideal body weight.
They had soiled fur, due to them having diarrhoea.
A one-year-old chihuahua cross named Marshall was thinner than ideal.
A five-year-old male Yorkie called Bono had an ear and eye infection, dental disease, oily skin and a penis infection.
“Bono’s skin and penis infection were visible to his owners and they all needed medical treatment,” the fiscal added.
“His owners caused him unnecessary suffering by not seeking medical treatment.”
Three of the dogs removed from the Symons in September 2020, were emaciated and had multiple health conditions.
All the dogs had dirty, sparse coats – stained with urine – and some were matted with dried faeces.
Two of the dogs had wounds on their bodies that were consistent with bite wounds from another dog.
John Symon admitted three charges of causing an animal unnecessary suffering and two charges of failing to meet the needs of an animal.
Victoria Symon admitted one charge of causing an animal unnecessary suffering.
Mr Symon’s defence agent Stuart Murray said a psychiatric report into his client had been “hard-hitting”.
“It puts Mr Symon in the very lowest percentile of cognitive function. That, perhaps, impacts his behaviour in relation to the matter in court today.
“He presents as a man who is very amiable, likeable and always smiling as a happy-go-lucky character.
“In his mind, he loved the animals. He took too many of the animals in because, as he put it, people wanted him to look after animals for them.
“It’s very clear it was all with good intent but there was an inability to deal with the difficulties in keeping so many animals.”
He added: “There was no malicious intent. What we have here is a man who was doing his best, took on too much and had no insight into his inability to care for those animals.
“What is required for Mr Symon is education in life skills and how they are applied in the real world.”
‘Defence agent Shane Campbell, representing Victoria Symon, echoed the sentiments of Mr Murray.
“She also required assistance and support,” he added.
Sheriff Margaret Hodge told John Symon: “It appears to me that a large number of animals were caused suffering by you neglecting them.
“From the reports, it seems you haven’t really accepted responsibility for what you did. I do understand you have problems and you may not fully have understood the extent of the suffering you inflicted on those animals – but you did inflict it.
“You ignored poor conditions, illness and signs of infection. You kept them in a condition that was bound to end in death if not illness.”
She told his wife: “You ignored the significant infections and suffering of your own dog. I do accept you too have a lack of insight, which is not necessarily your fault”.
She said both of them were “unable to ever understand fully” their offending.
Speaking about the case SSPCA inspector Fiona McKenzie, said: “I tried on several occasions to work with John and Victoria Symons in relation to their animals. Initially a number of animals were removed reducing them to an acceptable number of two dogs and two cats. Both the Symons disregarded advice given and continued to accumulate multiple animals.
“During these investigations a total of 76 animals were removed from the two-bedroom flat. These animals included dogs, cats, kittens, rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, gerbils, a parrot and various small birds.
“On searches of the property cats were found hidden within pet carriers in cupboards and kittens found under dirty laundry.
“The smell within the property was horrendous due to the amount of animal’s excrement. It was so bad it could be smelt in the communal landing. These animals were extremely stressed and in ill health due to such poor living conditions.
“I was extremely disappointed with the owners in this case of neglect as we made every effort to try and help the couple initially. The continuing neglect and suffering being caused to animals resulted in a case reported to the procurator fiscal.
“The Symons could have easily prevented their animals from suffering by providing adequate nutrition and seeking veterinary treatment for their medical conditions.
“I feel the lifetime ban on owning or keeping any animals handed to both John and Victoria Symons on 22nd February 2023 is a justified outcome for the suffering these animals had to endure.”
Sentencing | one-year supervision order. Lifetime ban from keeping animals.
