CONVICTED (2022) | James McAlonan, born 29 October 1977, of Devon Close, Brinnington, Stockport SK5 8DD – neglected a snake, who had to be put to sleep.
McAlonan was convicted of neglecting a female seven-feet boa constrictor named Bella. She was kept in a vivarium which measured just 4ft by 2ft.
He admitted two charges under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 of causing unnecessary suffering and failing to meet the needs of the boa constrictor.
McAlonan was keeping a number of reptiles at his home, including turtles, but Bella was found to be suffering from a serious mouth infection for which vet treatment had not been sought.
“Her skin was scabbed and bleeding, and she was living in ‘inadequate conditions’ in a vivarium whose internal temperature was too low for a snake to thrive,” said the RSPCA. “The enclosure was also too small for the snake, who was seven-foot in length.”
RSPCA Inspector Demi Hodby was asked to attend McAlonan’s flat by police, who executed a warrant there on February 18, 2021, after reports the boa constrictor was roaming around loose inside.
In a witness statement to the court, Inspector Hodby, said Bella was ‘very cold’ to touch, the temperature of the vivarium was between 13.3C and 13.8C and there was no food or water laid down for her.
She said: “She was unable to close her mouth and appeared to have a mouth infection as there was saliva around the area. There was a large lump under her chin and her skin was scabby and bleeding in places, while she appeared to be in a very bad shed.”
McAlonan allowed the inspector to take Bella to a vet, but sadly the reptile’s health was so poor that she had to be put to sleep. Vet Aiden Raftery said in his expert report to the court the snake was suffering from painful mouth lesions and combined with other skin abnormalities it would not have been possible to cure her.
The RSPCA said the vet stated the snake should have been in a vivarium of at least 7ft by 3ft4″.
Mr Raftery said in his report: “Failure to provide the correct environmental temperature will have predisposed this animal to infections. The area of infection in the rostral area of the mouth would have taken many weeks to reach the state it was at.”
In mitigation, the court was told that McAlonan had signed over the snake to the RSPCA voluntarily.
Speaking after the case, Inspector Hodby said: “This snake died because of poor husbandry as the temperatures she was being kept at meant she developed a viral infection. Caring for a snake like a boa requires more expert knowledge and he should have done his research.”
Sentencing | 12-month community sentence with 75 hours of unpaid work and15 rehabilitation activity days; £400 costs. Banned from keeping exotic animals for just two years (expires June 2024).