CONVICTED (2019) | Jeffrey J Taylor, born c. 1987, and wife Sara J Taylor, born c. 1990, both of Salisbury Avenue, Hornsea HU18 1SX – put an emaciated and flea-infested dog to sleep to hide neglect from RSPCA
Evil Jeffrey and Sara Taylor falsely claimed 12-year-old spaniel Max had cancer and had him put to sleep to cover up their neglect after the RSPCA launched an investigation into their treatment of their four dogs.
The pair, who pleaded guilty, had been warned that Inspector Jilly Dickinson wanted to speak to them about Max’s “worryingly thin” appearance and had him euthanised the next day.
Despite the Taylors claiming Max had cancer, it was later found he didn’t have any tumours and was skinny and riddled with fleas due to their shocking neglect.
Insp Dickinson said: “When I attended the property there was no answer but I could see a number of animals in the house through the window.
“I walked around to the back door to knock and could see two further dogs through another window.
“The Jack Russell terrier was worryingly underweight and the liver and white spaniel was painfully thin. I could see his hip bones protruding upwards and outwards, his spine was prominent and I could see all of the bones in his back legs.
“He was one of the thinnest dogs I have seen during my time as an RSPCA inspector.”
She had left a note attached to the front door at their home in Hornsea which asked the owners to contact her. She then spoke to Mrs Taylor later that day.
When she re-visited the address the next day, Insp Dickinson was informed Max had been euthanised the night before by a vet.
She said: “Mrs Taylor told me that she’d booked Max in to be put to sleep the previous weekend but when I spoke to vets they told me that the appointment to have him put to sleep was made the previous day – the same day as my visit to the home.
“They also told me that they offered tests and scans but that the owners refused and asked that he be euthanised. Prior to that appointment, Max hadn’t been to the vets since 2016.
“Max’s body was seized and found to be in extremely poor condition. All of his bones were protruding and could be easily seen and felt. Fleas were easily visible on his fur and there was a build-up of flea dirt in his fur.
“Max’s owners should have investigated his weight-loss and sought veterinary help. They failed to adequately protect him from pain or suffering and, I believe, they attempted to hide this from the RSPCA by having him put to sleep as soon as they were aware that I had visited.”
The court heard how a postmortem found that Max was not suffering from any form of cancer but instead was in very poor body condition and infested with fleas.
Sentencing |
Sara Taylor – 12-month community order of 100 hours of unpaid work; total costs and charges of £385.
Jeffrey Taylor – 12-month community order with 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 40 hours of unpaid work; total costs and charges of £385.
Both were disqualified from keeping dogs for five years (expires August 2024).
The court imposed a confiscation order in respect of three other dogs the couple own: Jack Russell terrier Titch, chihuahua Phoebe and Lhasa apso Hugo.