CONVICTED (2022) | Rhianne Victoria Saville, born 21 March 1996, of Cathcob Close, St Mellons, Cardiff CF3 0AH – starved a young dog to death.
Mother-of-one Rhianne Saville was banned from keeping all animals for five years after admitting cruelty to a three-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier named Dior.
She admitted failing to adequately investigate or address the causes of the dog’s weight loss and poor bodily condition as well as pressure sores to her hocks (heels).
A written statement provided to the court from RSPCA inspector Christine McNeil explained that Saville had assumed care for Dior as part of an arrangement with her previous owner.
Having seen photographs of Dior’s poor bodily condition, the original owner asked that the dog be returned to him. Very sadly, the dog died shortly after being returned.
Inspector McNeil was shown Dior’s body on 5 January 2022 after a report was made to the RSPCA suggesting the pet had been neglected. “The body was extremely thin with no muscle coverage and the spine, hips and ribs were all visible and easily felt. Her head was also sunken above the eyes,” said inspector McNeil.
“I noted sores on the hocks and the underneath of the back feet and the front right wrist joint and on the left front paw. I also noted hair loss at the base of the tail.”
In a written statement from a vet it was confirmed that Dior was examined on January, 6 2022 and then a post mortem was also arranged. The statement said: “On examination the body was severely emaciated with almost no muscle mass with pressure sores on the points of both hocks and a wound on the front of the right carpus (wrist joint). The post mortem report states that the weight loss is due to reduced nutrition with no detectable underlying health issue.
“With no underlying health issue, assuming a normal weight as a start point and assuming the lowest average female Staffordshire bull terrier weight of 11 Kg, with no food at all it would take a dog ten to eleven weeks to drop to the post mortem weight of 6.67 Kg, longer if some food was available. This means that the dog will have suffered for a prolonged period of at least eleven weeks before death.”
Sentencing | eight weeks in prison, suspended for two years; 10 days of Rehabilitation Activity; £400 costs. Five-year ban on keeping dogs (expires September 2027).
Evil Mentally Disturbed Scum.
I hope your capable of looking after that Baby, better than you looked after that poor little Dog. That you Starved To Death.
Social Services are coming to check on the Baby, and will be keeping a close eye on him.
You won’t have no luck for what you have done.
Well said Marie. Makes me sick to the core. Got me in tears looking at that little dog 😭💔
Hope that woman suffers badly for her neglect