CONVICTED (2023) | Viktorija Elksnite, born 9 May 2001, of Morley Street, Goole DN14 5TR* – left her two cats without food or water for several days at a time.
Latvian national Elksnite pleaded guilty to two charges under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 in relation to cats Bellis and Minnie.
The court was told she left the felines unattended over a number of days without food and water. Bellis was found very underweight and dehydrated, while Minnie was also underweight when the RSPCA gained entry to her property in December 2022.
Elksnite had received previous RSPCA warnings about leaving her pets unattended but when RSPCA animal rescue officer Olivia Farrar visited her home on a follow-up visit on November 28, 2022, the defendant was out and Bellis was clawing at the window in a distressed state.
The animal rescue officer made several more visits to the property, but on each occasion Elksnite had left the cats unattended.
Another RSPCA inspector managed to feed one of the cats through the letterbox when she called at the property on December 4, 2023
RSPCA inspector Tom Hutton, who had made two previous visits to check on the welfare of the cats, returned with the police and a council officer to gain access on December 14
He found Bellis in a faeces-strewn living room in which there were two empty bowls, while Minnie was in the kitchen where again there was no sign of food or water, but a litter tray full of faeces.
The inspector said in a statement presented to the court: “Bellis was bright, active and alert but in a poor body condition in a living room in which there were two bowls but neither had any food or water in them. In the kitchen was the small female cat, Minnie, who was also in poor body condition.
The inspector took the cats to a local veterinary practice for treatment.
A vet, who examined both cats, said in his expert report that Bellis was emaciated with a body condition score of two out of nine and was also very dehydrated. Minnie scored four out of nine on the body condition chart.
In mitigation, the court was told that Elksnite was remorseful and was living a “chaotic lifestyle” at the time of the offences, but had now left an abusive relationship. She was staying at addresses in Goole and Bridlington, where she was working, and thought she had made “appropriate arrangements” for the care of her cats when she was away.
Both Bellis and Minnie were signed over into the care of the RSPCA and have recovered from their ordeal. The animal charity will now look to rehome both of them.
Sentencing | £120 fine, £400 court costs, victim surcharge of £48. well Five-year ban on keeping animals (expires December 2028),
Additional Information
Viktorija Elksnite’s family home is at 36 Marshfield Avenue, Goole DN14 5JH. Source: Electoral Roll.
She has no trouble finding time in the midst of her chaotic lifestyle to make hilarious “funny couple” videos with her long-term boyfriend (not sure if this is the one she said she was in an “abusive” relationship with). Their TikTok channel is here and Facebook page here.
Making stupid icky vids,no mention of starving her pets. Despicable idiot.