CONVICTED (2023) | Charlotte Emma Kenny (aka Charlotte McInally), born July 1985, previously of Finney Park Drive, Lea, Preston but now of Queen Street or Albert Road, Morecambe – for the starvation and neglect of three dogs and four cats.

Charlotte Kenny pleaded guilty to animal cruelty in relation to the following pets:

• a brown dapple male bull breed type dog called Merlin
• a black and tan 10-year-old Rottweiler type dog called Daisy
• a two-year-old male Northern Inuit type dog called Harou
• a black kitten called Loki
• a tortoiseshell cat called Barney
• a grey cat called Brie
• a tabby cat called Maggie

Kenny was prosecuted by the RSPCA after the charity’s officers found her pets living in “disarray” at her previous home in Finney Park Drive, Preston, with animal faeces and piles of rubbish strewn throughout.

Three underweight and malnourished dogs were among the animals living at the house. A vet assessed that they had not been fed adequate nutrition for several weeks.

The RSPCA were contacted in January 2023 after a severely emaciated bull-breed dog called Merlin had been taken to a vet in a collapsed state. The dog was suffering from severe diarrhoea and had to be put to sleep.

The charity was sent Merlin’s clinical history and inspectors then made numerous unsuccessful attempts to speak to his owner, Charlotte Kenny.

During a visit to Kenny’s home inspectors could see several pets inside the squalid property, all of whom were in poor bodily condition. These included dogs Harou and Daisy and a cat. The charity left notices for Kenny to contact them but all went ignored.

On February 6, 2023, a warrant was executed by the police. Four cats found inside were immediately seized after a vet confirmed they were suffering because of the living conditions. Kenny’s surviving dogs Daisy and Harou had been moved to another address but were tracked down and removed.

RSPCA animal rescue officer Kelly Nix, who assisted with the warrant, said: “The conservatory looked like a room where dogs lived, it smelt of dogs, the couches had been ripped and they were full of dog hair and there were piles of empty cans of dog food, some of which had been chewed up.

“There was a strong smell of faeces and ammonia, the floor was damp and faeces could be seen. The lounge area looked in disarray, there were animal faeces on the floor that looked old, smashed pottery pieces, various other hazards and empty chewed up pouches of cat food.

“In the kitchen there were empty animal food bowls, more faeces and rubbish all over the floor, again the smell of ammonia was overpowering and the floor was damp. There was a mop bucket by the front door containing stagnant water. The ceiling above the sink had caved in so the water was inaccessible.

“The upstairs painted a similar picture, piles of faeces, some trodden into the carpets, mess and clutter, old dirty food bowls. The toilets were full to the brim with human faeces. The main bedroom you could hardly move in for junk, empty animal tins and rubbish.”

The rescued dogs were severely underweight -Daisy’s hip bones, ribs and spine were visibly protruding and she had long overgrown nails, scabby ears and an unkempt coat. She smelt of urine and her eyes appeared to be sticky and possibly infected. Harou was also in thin bodily condition. Although his coat was thick and fluffy, his spine and ribs could easily be felt and his legs and feet were tinged with urine stains.

A vet from the RSPCA’s Greater Manchester Animal Hospital who examined all the animals on February 6 said the dogs were both visibly underweight and any reasonable person should have sought advice and treatment.

Daisy weighed 19 kg (41.8 pounds) when she was first examined – the average weight for a female rottweiler according to the International Canine Federation breed standard for Rottweilers is between 35 and 48 kg (77.1 to 105.8 pounds), depending on stature.

Harou weighed 24.6 kg (54.2 pounds) when first examined. Northern Inuits are a hybrid breed, however the Northern Inuit Society of America suggests the breed standard average weight for males is 36 – 48 kg (79.3 to 105.8 pounds) although again, this will vary with stature.

Both dogs made good weight gains in the weeks that followed and the vet said it was her opinion that their original weight loss was a result of inadequate nutrition for between three and four weeks, possibly longer.

Kenny had previously ignored warning notices from the RSPCA about the condition of the dogs and their living environment and had declined offers of help to reduce the number of animals she had.

In mitigation, the court was told she had been working as many hours as she could and had let the care of her pets slip as a result. Her personal situation had since improved and she had expressed remorse for what had happened and apologised.

All the animals were signed over to the RSPCA during the course of the investigation.

They were cared for by the charity’s Southport, Ormskirk & District and Preston & District branches and have since been rehomed.

Speaking after the conclusion of the court case, deputy chief inspector Susan Micallef, said: “This was a particularly upsetting case to investigate, and the situation could have been avoided had the owner followed the advice and guidance that had been given by the RSPCA previously.

“The animals were living in totally unacceptable conditions and the care they were receiving fell woefully short. The images of the dogs’ transformation are heartwarming, and I’m so pleased the animals that were rescued from the house have gone on to find lovely new homes.”

Deputy chief inspector Susan Micallef, said: “This was a particularly upsetting case to investigate, and the situation could have been avoided had the owner followed the advice and guidance that had been given by the RSPCA previously. The animals were living in totally unacceptable conditions and the care they were receiving fell woefully short.

“The images of the dogs’ transformation are heart-warming, and I’m so pleased the animals that were rescued from the house have gone on to find lovely new homes.”

Sentencing | 16 weeks prison suspended for 24 months; 12 month community order with 100 hours unpaid work; £400 costs to the RSPCA and victim surcharge of £154. Banned from owning animals for 10 years.

Lancaster Guardian
Blog Preston
Lancashire Post