CONVICTED (2024) | Zainab Ayinla, born 14 May 1986, of Loughborough Park, Stockwell, London SW9 8TP – starved a bulldog to death.
The emaciated body of the dog, known as Patch, was admitted to a veterinary hospital on December 17, 2022. He had lost an alarming 13kg since his last visit to the vet hospital, just seven months prior and his condition was described by a vet as “shocking”.
The court heard that Ayinla had contacted the vet hospital two months earlier mentioning Patch’s concerning weight loss, but failed to attend a subsequent appointment.
On December 17, Ayinla called the vet again, reporting that her pet could no longer walk and was showing signs of distress with laboured breathing and sporadic twitching.
By the time Ayinla managed to get Patch to the vet, he had already died.
Post-mortem examination revealed that Patch had 92g of plastic material in his stomach, pointing to extreme hunger.
It was concluded the direct cause of death was severe malnutrition. There was no underlying cause; he was able to eat but had no access to food.
The vet said: “His condition at presentation was shocking: he was significantly underweight with an accountable weight loss of 13kg in the past seven months since the last time he was seen at the hospital in May 2022, with very long nails and bed sores and urine scalding.
“Considering Patch’s presentation on the 17 December and the missed appointment in November, is it my professional opinion that Patch went through a significant period of suffering until the time of his death.
“Would the owner have him brought to us sooner and probably we would have been able to help him, whether from a medical point of view or supporting the owner in providing care for her pet.”
Ayinla’s defence was that she “had done everything she could for the dog”, having sought advice about worming and Patch’s weight loss, yet there was no corresponding record of this in Patch’s vet hospital documentation.
RSPCA inspector Philip Norman, who investigated for the animal welfare charity, said: “Animals are completely reliant on their owners to ensure their needs are met. Providing food and water is an essential.
“Owning an animal is a privilege – and ensuring appropriate care is a key part of the responsibility we have towards them.
“It’s sad that, in this instance, the owner of Patch failed to provide him with a suitable diet and as a result allowed him to suffer for a prolonged period of time.”
Sentencing | fined £300 and ordered to pay £800 in court costs. 10-year ban on keeping dogs.
10yr ban. People need to research on what it takes to care for a dog. You need to be able to meet the needs and care the dog deserves. I did that before I got my american bulldog as was my first bulldog breed. You have to care for them like their your babies.
Plainly a liar ,cruel & too thick to own a pet. The poor dog suffered horribly.
Clearly too thick to be able to care for a dog. It should be her lying on that table not Patch. I bet she fed her fat belly though!
RIP PATCH 🐾 🌈