CONVICTED (2024) | Stacey Louise Ince-Stamp aka Stacey Ince, born 25 April 1995, of Coed Aben, Queensway, Wrexham LL13 – failed to feed a Weimaraner crossbreed a proper diet, causing severe malnourishment and eventually his death.
Ince-Stamp pleaded guilty to one offence under the Animal Welfare Act. in relation to the young dog, named Dougie.
The offence was that she caused unnecessary suffering to Dougie by failing to investigate and address the causes of his poor bodily condition, weight loss and sickness.
The court heard how on January 21, 2024, RSPCA Inspector Anthony Joynes, went to Ince-Stamp’s address to investigate a report that a dog had died.
In a statement read in court he said: “I attended the rear garden and observed a deceased young brown cross breed dog wrapped in a blanket next to a shallow grave. “
He added: “The body was not in rigour mortis and the eyes were intact but sunken. The carcass was in very poor bodily condition and I noted it to be emaciated with spine, ribs and pelvic bones clearly visible. I noted a lack of fat and muscle coverage in areas like the skull and scapula.”
Inspector Joynes was given permission to remove the carcass.
Ince-Stamp told him Dougie had “possibly eaten some rat poison and had become unwell and had died”.
Dougie’s body was examined by a veterinary surgeon where he was given a body condition score of one out of nine and weighed 9.7kg, meaning he was severely underweight and emaciated.
Post-mortem examination found that Dougie’s stomach was filled with a large amount of food including dry dog kibble, potato wedges, pizza and other human food leftovers. A plastic object was also found.
In a statement to the court the vet gave the professional opinion that Dougie “was suffering due to an inappropriate diet causing hunger, weakness and severe weight loss …”
She added: “Constant hunger apart from poor body condition causes frustration, nervousness and fear. It can lead to dehydration, anaemia and eventually organ failure in extreme cases.
“Hungry dogs often ingest foreign bodies in acts of desperation. That can cause several life threatening conditions – stomach ulceration, intestinal obstruction.
“Human food is not an appropriate diet for the dog, foods like pizza do not provide any nutrition and can irritate the gastrointestinal tract or even poison the dog.”
Following sentencing Inspector Joynes said: “This was a really sad case involving a very young dog at the beginning of his life.
“His suffering could have been avoided and he was tragically let down by the person responsible for him. I hope our investigation has meant that Dougie’s suffering hasn’t gone completely unanswered.”
Sentencing | fined £120 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £48. She was disqualified from keeping all animals for just three years (expires October 2027).