CONVICTED (2024) | Daryl Burgess, born 6 April 1992, of Chantry Close, Clacton CO16 9QL – starved his dog to death.
Burgess was prosecuted by the RSPCA after the skeletal remains of the young mastiff-type dog named Patch were found in his garden. The horrific discovery was made on 12 January 2023 by police officers pursuing a suspect.
The RSPCA was alerted and an investigation was started.
RSPCA inspector Emma Beynon said: “I was shocked and upset to see the condition he was in.
“Every single bone could be seen in his body, he looked like a skeleton. Patch would not have even been two years old.”
A vet who examined Patch gave him a body condition score of zero out of nine and said the owner “should have .. sought medical advice and treatment”.
They continued: “By not seeking veterinary advice they would have been failing to meet the animal’s needs, causing the suffering of the animal.
“It would have taken days to weeks to reach a body condition score this low.”
In court, Burgess pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a dog by failing to adequately explore and address the dog’s weight loss.
In mitigation sick Burgess, who represented himself, described Patch’s wilful killing as “an unfortunate event”.
Speaking after the conviction, inspector Beynon described the case as “truly heart-breaking”.
She added: “This was a deliberate disregard for Patch which resulted in his sad death.
“Pets are completely reliant on their owners to ensure their needs are met and they are kept safe and healthy.
“Owning an animal is a privilege – and ensuring appropriate care is a key part of the responsibility we have towards our pets.
“It’s so sad that, in this instance, that responsibility was not met and Patch was left to suffer.”
Sentencing | 23 weeks in prison; £300 costs and £154 victim surcharge. Disqualified from keeping all animals for life.