Tag Archives: abandonment

Swalwell, Newcastle upon Tyne: Peter Esen

April 17, 2024 misanthropic Leave a comment

CONVICTED | Peter Enobong Akpan Esen, born June 1989, of Rosebud Close, Swalwell, Newcastle upon Tyne NE16 3DF – neglected his elderly underweight dog and failed to seek veterinary care for her life-threatening uterine infection.

RSPCA prosecution of Peter Esen from Newcastle upon Tyne, who abandoned an elderly dog.

Esen had left the 13-year-old husky, Alex, unattended for at least 48 hours at his home.

She was suffering from pyometra – a life-threatening condition of the womb commonly found in older unneutered female dogs – and needed emergency surgery.

Her bottom incisor teeth were also worn down to less than half their normal height, which a vet thought could be attributed to her chewing empty cans of dogs food, which were found littered throughout the property.

Esen, who is thought to have links to Nottingham and Manchester, admitted three charges contrary to the Animal Welfare Act 2006, following a prosecution by the RSPCA and appeared at South Tyneside Magistrates Court for sentencing on 2 April 2024.

The court heard how RSPCA inspectors had taped the front door and the back gate of the house on 14 February 2023 following reports that a dog had been abandoned at the property.

The seals were still intact when a further visit was made by Inspector Rachael Hurst the following day.

In written evidence to the court Inspector Hurst said: “There were empty cans of dog food strewn all over the floor, visible inside the property through the glass in the door and in the rear garden visible through the fence, some of them had been chewed up and teeth marks were visible in them.

“The rear door to the property was wide open. I knocked at the door and there was no response and a black and white husky type dog then appeared in the hallway behind the door. I made enquiries with local residents but nobody knew where the owner of the dog was.

“The following day I attended again. There had been no changes, the tape seals were still intact on the front door and rear gate and the same dog was visible inside so I contacted Northumbria Police for assistance.”

During an initial examination of the dog, the inspector could easily feel her spine, hips and ribs. Her nails were also overgrown and splaying in different directions.

The property was resealed before Inspector Hurst took Alex to a vet. There, she was diagnosed with pyometra and needed emergency life-saving surgery and overnight hospitalisation.

Weighing 20kg against a healthy weight for her breed of between 22kg and 25kg, Alex was given a body condition score of just two out of nine. The vet said it could have taken months for her to have lost so much body fat and muscle.

Her claws were also overgrown indicating inadequate exercise had been provided.

In written evidence the vet said: “The large amount of fluid and pressure in her uterus meant it was at risk of rupture at any time, Had the RSPCA not intervened when they did, the uterus would have ruptured leaving the dog to die a slow and painful death from sepsis.

“I estimate that the symptoms were likely present for one to three days prior to diagnosis. Had this dog lived in an occupied household they would have been identified by the owner so veterinary treatment could be sought. It is unacceptable that this elderly dog was left unchecked for this time period, allowing a serious and life-threatening disease to go unnoticed.”

The court was told that tape seals on the door were still intact when Inspector Hurst visited Esen’s home again on 18 March. There was still no-one at home and Esen couldn’t be reached by phone.

After speaking to someone who knew him, Inspector Hurst eventually met him at the house and an interview was carried out. He admitted that he had not cleaned up and that he’d been away. He said he had messaged a person to provide a tin of food, although he hadn’t checked that they’d done so. He said he didn’t think that Alex was underweight.

Alex was cared for at an RSPCA rehoming centre. Sadly her health deteriorated further and she was found to have mammary tumours, and she was put to sleep on veterinary advice at the end of last year.

Speaking after the case Inspector Hurst said: “Alex was an elderly dog who was being left unattended with a life-threatening condition in an unsuitable and hazardous environment.

“Sadly, she’d been let down by her owner and not been given anything like the care and attention she should have received in her twilight years. It illustrates how important it is to ensure the needs of animals you’re responsible for are always met and why it’s crucial to seek help and advice if you’re no longer able to provide for them.”

Sentencing | 18 month community order with 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 150 hours of unpaid work; £128.60 in costs. Ten-year ban on keeping animals which cannot be contested for five years.

ChronicleLive

Animal Torture, Cats, Dogs, Lifers, Multiple Species, Serial Animal Abusers, Small Furries, Worst of the Worst

Tywyn, Gwynedd, North Wales: Aled Roberts

April 16, 2024 misanthropic 1 Comment

CONVICTED (2024) | Aled Wyn Roberts, born 6 May 1991, most recently of High Street, Tywyn, but originally from Pwlhelli, Caernarfonshire – beat a puppy before choking him to death after the ‘novelty’ of owning a dog wore off.

Prosecution of monstrous puppy killer and serial animal abuser Aled Roberts originally from Pwlhelli, Caernarfonshire, Wales

Roberts admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a black collie called Twm by inflicting blunt force trauma and violence including strangulation.

Prosecuting counsel Gareth Bellis said Roberts was described by a friend as having a history of failing to care properly for animals. He would leave them in cages and forget about them at his dirty and grubby flat. Roberts didn’t know a hamster was dead in a cage.

He had also allegedly smacked his cats.

Mr Bellis said, during a video call with a woman in April 2023, Roberts had complained about the behaviour of his five-month-old border collie.

“The dog was crying in its crate,” the prosecutor said.

The defendant appeared to hit the dog forcefully with his hand. He’d also been witnessed kicking and punching the dog.

The same morning the friend had received another call and grinning Roberts said the dog was dead.

Twm’s body was taken to a vet where Roberts told a receptionist he didn’t know how the pet had died.

Roberts had previously attempted to choke a cat with a headphone lead and screamed at a budgie and refused to feed it, the court heard.

Jailing him for 18 months Judge Timothy Petts at Caernarfon crown court banned him for life from owning any animal.

The judge told Roberts that after acquiring the puppy “you clearly had no idea how to look after him properly. The novelty had worn off.

“You went from neglect to being cruel and violent towards him,” Judge Petts added.

Eventually Twm had been strangled with a chain.

“The suffering he sustained must have been considerable,” the judge said. A post-mortem examination showed internal injuries to the “defenceless” puppy including fractured ribs.

Roberts’ lawyer said his client’s “mental health problems” had led to the sad situation and had urged the judge to consider a suspended sentence.

Sentencing | 18 months’ imprisonment. Lifetime ban.

Daily Post

Animal Abandonment, Dogs, Worst of the Worst

Evenwood, County Durham: Josh Sanderson

April 11, 2024 misanthropic 1 Comment

CONVICTED (2024) | Joshua Sanderson, born 20 December 2003, of 35 Fairfield, Evenwood, Bishop Auckland DL14 9SE – left three lurchers to starve in his abandoned flat.

RSPCA prosecution of Josh Sanderson from Evenwood, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, who left 3 dogs to starve in a filthy abandoned flat..

Sanderson’s dogs were discovered living in a flat strewn with faces and rubbish after he abandoned them. One dog, Molly, had eaten a bin liner in her desperation for food.

An RSPCA inspector gained entry to Sanderson’s flat the help of police and the letting agents on April 6, 2023. In a statement read to the court the inspector described being met with an overpowering smell of ammonia inside the property.

They continued: “There was faeces present at the rear of the door and on the stairs. On entering the main area of the flat there were no dogs present or loose and it was littered with faeces and rubbish scattered about, there was also faeces on the settee in the main room.

“I then opened a door to a small bedroom and found three lurcher-type dogs in a small area which was again littered with faeces and like the rest of the flat the smell of urine and excrement was overpowering.

“None of the dogs had any access to food or water and the bowls that were present were overturned and all were dry.”

All three dogs were rescued and examined by a vet who hospitalised them overnight.

A tan and white male lurcher was found to have wounds and cuts, while a black and tan female lurcher had inflamed eye membranes.

The third dog, Molly, the only one of the three that was microchipped, was emaciated and weighed just 9.45kg. She was given a body condition score of just one out of nine.

Although her microchip said she was a year old, the vet said significant tartar on her teeth indicated her age was inaccurate. She had a number of scars but no fresh wounds.

Magistrates heard the dogs were ravenous when fed and Molly passed faeces containing a black bin liner.

In his evidence, the vet said: “Molly was suffering at the time of examination as a result of malnutrition due to lack of feeding.

“The bloods indicated that this dog had normal organ function and no significant clinical condition that would be responsible for the weight loss.

“She gained nearly 30% in weight following adequate feeding in five weeks. In my opinion she had been caused unnecessary suffering on the grounds of inadequate nutrition for no less than six weeks.”

Following enquiries, Sanderson was traced to a property in the village of Evenwood.

He was interviewed by the RSPCA in June 2023 and confirmed that he had been the occupant of the flat but had moved out.

He also said he owned two of the dogs and had taken Molly on from someone who wasn’t looking after her properly. He conceded that conditions at the flat were poor and unsuitable for the dogs.

The dogs were cared for at the RSPCA’s Great Ayton Animal Centre.

Sadly, the black and tan female lurcher was put to sleep on professional advice for welfare and behavioural reasons.

Molly and the male lurcher, who was named Tolly by staff, were adopted and are enjoying life in their new homes.

Sanderson admitted two charges contrary to the Animal Welfare act 2006 but walked free from court with “rehabilitation” and five year ban.

Speaking after the sentencing hearing, RSPCA Chief Inspector for Durham Mark Gent said: “All three dogs had been badly let down by their owner, left behind in a dirty and hazardous environment without food or water, to the extent where one of them had resorted to eating a bin liner.

“It was a sad case and it illustrates how important it is to ensure the needs of animals you’re responsible for are always met and to see help and advice if your circumstances change and you are no longer able to provide for them.”

Sentencing | six-month community order with five rehabilitation activity requirement days. Banned from keeping animals for five years (expires April 2029).

ChronicleLive
Northern Echo

Animal Abandonment, Dogs, Worst of the Worst

Walton, Liverpool: Rachel Foster and Stephen O’Donnell

April 4, 2024 misanthropic 2 Comments

CONVICTED (2024) | Rachel Foster, born 17 March 1985, and Stephen O’Donnell, born 21 December 1985, of 107 East Lancashire Road, Walton, Liverpool L11 3DN – left a young Mastiff to starve to death alone in an outside kennel.

RSPCA prosecution of Liverpool couple Rachel Foster and Stephen O'Donnell, who left a dog in a kennel to starve to death.

Animal Rescue Officer (ARO) Hannah Yen attended the home of Foster and O’Donnell in July 2023 following a report about an underweight, collapsed dog in the garden.

She said: “The garden was overgrown and only a small area by the door was accessible. Mr O’Donnell said the dog was called Zeus, he was 22 months old and was a mastiff breed.

“I looked in the kennel, there were flies on the dog and the dog’s body condition was poor. I could see no chest movement, the dog was cold to touch and sadly the dog was dead.

“Mr O’Donnell said he planned to bury Zeus, but I explained that I would need to take the body to be examined by a vet.”

ARO Yen said that O’Donnell had told her that “he had put the dog out in the evening and when he checked on him the next morning he found the dog was dead.”

The rescue officer passed the case over to RSPCA Inspector Caren Goodman-James who investigated.

She found that Zeus had been left unattended without food or water – which had resulted in his death.

The court heard how the vet report stated Zeus most likely died due to emaciation caused by a lack of nutrition.

He weighed just 18.9kg (41.7lb) and was severely emaciated with his ribs, spine and pelvic bones all prominent. There was no palpable fat tissue on him suggesting he had been given insufficient nutrition for a period of at least two months.

The vet report said: “On examination, the body was extremely thin. There were no symptoms of any obvious disorder or injuries which would cause death.

“Regardless of the cause of severe weight loss, a reasonable owner should have sought veterinary attention for the dog in that state.

“In my opinion Zeus was suffering prior to death due to hunger, weakness and fear. The process of weight loss was chronic – muscle and fat tissue loss was present which happens when the body starts using these tissues as an emergency resource of energy in the case of prolonged hunger. I can estimate the duration for approximately two months, but likely longer.”

Foster and O’Donnell were given 28 days to rehome their bearded dragon, failing which ownership will transfer to the RSPCA to find him a new home.

Speaking after the hearing, RSPCA Inspector Goodman-James said: “This was a sad case involving the unnecessary death of a poor emaciated dog. We know that times can be tough with the cost of living crisis which may mean owners struggle to afford their pets but to allow a poor dog to starve as a result is incredibly cruel.

“We’d urge anyone who is struggling to reach out for help from friends and family, find a pet foodbank near you, ask a charity for advice and support, and always contact a vet immediately if you have concerns for the health of your pet.”

Sentencing | 18-month custodial suspended for 12 months; 200 hours of unpaid work; 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days each; £154 victim surcharge. Banned from keeping all animals for 20 years – which neither can appeal for 15 years.

Dogs Today
News from the North
Liverpool Echo

Animal Abandonment, Dogs, Worst of the Worst

St Helens, Merseyside: Phillip Boyer

April 3, 2024 misanthropic 1 Comment

CONVICTED (2024) | Phillip Boyer, born 4 December 2004, of Waterdale Crescent, St Helens WA9 3PD – left an XL Bully to die in a rubbish and faeces-strewn flat.

RSPCA prosecution of Phillip Boyer from St Helens, Merseyside. — A 2019 image of alcoholic junkie Phil Boyer, who turned a blind eye to his dog’s suffering and left her to die in pain

Police found the female tan and white XL bully, named Cali, lying dead in the filthy living room of Boyer’s flat in Waterdale Crescent, St Helens, on June 15, 2023. She was very thin and suffering from canine parvovirus which had not been treated.

An RSPCA inspector attending the scene described being met with a pungent overpowering smell of urine, faeces and decomposition, and saw no sign of food or water for the dog.

Boyer, who admitted being reliant on alcohol and drugs, pleaded guilty to three offences contrary to the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

He said in an interview that he hadn’t noticed Cali’s weight loss.

The court heard that RSPCA Inspector Leanne Cooper had gone to the property following the police’s request.

In written evidence she said: “Each room I looked in was filthy and littered with rubbish. In the lounge there was a really pungent overpowering smell of urine, faeces and decomposition. I could see what appeared to be smears of faeces all over the floor and up the walls.

“Over towards the television stand in the corner of the room I could see a dead white bull breed dog that looked to be in very thin bodily condition, with her ribs, hips and backbone prominent.

“Cali’s fur looked to be stained brown on her legs and back end. There was also what looked like a brown dried patch of diarrhoea on the floor underneath her rear end. There was a mop bucket nearby that looked thick, brown and dirty with faeces. The floor was littered with rubbish and hazards such as broken glass. I didn’t see any sign of food or water provided for Cali.”

The inspector also took photographs of a shed in the communal garden where Cali was said to have been kept, sometimes for hours at a time. The wooden door and frame appeared to have been chewed and there were splinters all over the floor.

A vet from the RSPCA’s Greater Manchester Animal Hospital examined the dog later the same day. She gave Cali a body condition score of two out of nine and said her ribs, lumbar vertebrae and pelvic bones were easily visible and she had no palpable fat.

The result of a faecal sample showed Cali had canine parvovirus, a highly contagious virus that can be fatal to dogs, with puppies and unvaccinated dogs most at risk.

In her evidence to the court, the vet said: “Parvovirus can cause rapid deterioration and suffering if no veterinary intervention is provided. The duration of these failings will be a minimum of several days, the duration of the environmental failings is likely to be for a period of weeks looking at the evidence presented. Regardless of the cause of poor body condition and diarrhoea, the owner should have sought veterinary advice to relieve her suffering.

“Cali will have undoubtedly felt weakness and debilitation having a severe lack of energy, worsened by the haemorrhagic diarrhoea. This will have been uncomfortable and severely impacted her everyday life, ability to move, to obtain food or water and even to play.

“I would expect a responsible owner to seek veterinary attention should their pet become underweight, to a point that they were below point 4 out of 9 on the body condition score, moreover, if their animal became weak or lethargic.”

The court was told that in the weeks that followed Inspector Cooper made repeated attempts to speak to Boyer about potential animal welfare offences, but most of the calls went straight to voicemail or the line would go dead when she said who she was.

With the assistance of police, he was located and finally interviewed in November about what had happened to Cali.

In interview, Boyer said he was reliant on alcohol and drugs and struggled to buy food for himself and Cali. He said he didn’t notice her weight loss, suggesting that she had always been a lean dog, and he hadn’t taken her to the vet as had no money to do so and didn’t have a phone to call the RSPCA for help.

Speaking after the case Inspector Cooper said: “Going into the property and finding Cali’s body, lying all alone surrounded by piles of rubbish, was an extremely sad and upsetting sight. She was badly let down by the person who should have been caring for her and suffered over a prolonged period because no veterinary assistance or any other sort of help had been sought.”

Sentencing | 17-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months; 20 days of rehabilitation; 160 hours of unpaid work; victim surcharge of £154. Five-year ban on keeping all animals (expires April 2029).

Liverpool Echo
Planet Radio

Animal Abandonment, Dogs, Worst of the Worst

Rogerstone, Newport: Alyshia Taylor

April 3, 2024 misanthropic 3 Comments

CONVICTED (2024) | Alyshia Diana Taylor, born c. 1999, of Keene Avenue, Rogerstone, Newport NP10 8DF – for the abandonment of two dogs and a puppy with only the latter surviving.

RSPCA prosecution of Alyshia Taylor from Newport, Wales.

Taylor pleaded guilty to three offences under the Animal Welfare Act.

Two of the counts related to “failing to provide a suitable diet for two dogs, a bull breed type named Dior and a Chow Chow type called Storm”.

The third charge related to a Chow Chow puppy called Chase in that she was responsible for “an environment that was unsuitable in diet and in the providing of adequate clean fresh drinking water”.

The court heard how the emaciated body of Dior was found in a kennel at Taylor’s then home in Cromwell Road Newport. Post-mortem examination found she had wood particles in her stomach which she had eaten in her desperation for food.

Storm was still alive but in an emaciated state. She and the puppy, who was described as thin, were found in the faeces-strewn property.

The RSPCA was alerted on January 30, 2023, after receiving a call from police regarding two dogs they had removed from the property and taken to a vet for examination and treatment. The charity was also advised that there was a dead dog at the scene.

In a written statement provided to the court RSPCA inspector Sophie Daniels said: “I established that of the two dogs removed, both of which were black Chow Chows, the adult female was in an emaciated condition and had been deemed to be in a suffering state by the vet Her male puppy was found to be thin and as such not having his needs met.”

Arriving at Taylor’s home to collect the body of the dead dog Inspector Daniels said: “There were toys and belongings cluttering the floor and there was a strong smell of dog. I walked through to a back room with lots of clutter left around.

“On the table, amongst other items, I saw an empty box of Bakers dog food and on the floor by the sofa, was an unopened sack of dry dog food.

“The kitchen was at the back of the property and was filthy with dog faeces all over the floor. The faeces was particularly concentrated by the back patio doors. There was a plastic dog bed on the floor by the back doors, which contained a dirty blanket. There were some plastic takeaway containers on the floor with a drop of water contained.”

Outside in an enclosure furthest away from the house there were piles of dog faeces, a tipped over empty bucket and two silver dog bowls containing a small amount of brown/yellow dirty liquid. Dior’s body was found in a wooden open-fronted kennel in the back corner of the enclosure.

Inspector Daniels said: “The dog was laying on its left side on dirty bedding and there was an extremely strong smell of decay.

“The body was extremely thin with ribs visible. The eyes were sunken and there was dark/bloody liquid coming from the dog’s mouth and nose.”

As Inspector Daniels removed the body, large maggots – some over one centimetres in length – fell from the body.

Dior, who was nearly three years old, was examined by a vet, who said in a witness statement that her body was “emaciated with very little muscle mass remaining on her body.”

Commenting on the findings of the post mortem, the vet said: “The report showed that she had two bruises on her neck, wood throughout her guts and had died due to necrosis (or cell death) of multiple areas of her heart, the cause for the necrosis was not able to be determined.

“However the other changes of muscle mass loss, and severe loss of fat throughout the body indicates a severe energy imbalance or lack of food prior to her death.

“With her body at the lowest end of body condition score at one out of nine, this means that if she had had no food at all and just access to water, to get to the condition she was found in from a normal condition would have taken between two to three weeks of starvation, longer if she had access to food in that time.

“It is my professional opinion that Dior was allowed to suffer unnecessarily by her owner/carer from hunger due to lack of feeding over a prolonged period of time.”

Sentencing Taylor, magistrates said there was “a real prospect of rehabilitation” and suspended the custodial term.

Sadly, Storm later had to be put to sleep on veterinary advice after she was found to have a debilitating condition.

Chase was rehomed by the RSPCA.

Sentencing | 36-weeks custodial suspended for 18 months; 10 days of rehabilitation; £975 towards costs. 10-year disqualification order applicable to all animals.

Nation Cymru
South Wales Argus

Animal Abandonment, Cats, Worst of the Worst

Newton, Chester: Natalie Hewson

April 3, 2024 misanthropic 1 Comment

CONVICTED (2024) | Natalie Hewson, born c. 1988, of Phillip Lawson House, Norfolk Road, Newton, Chester CH2 2LD – left her severely ill elderly cat to die alone in her abandoned flat.

RSPCA prosecution of Chester woman Natalie Hewson. Image: Nat Hewson - Facebook.

Hewson was prosecuted by the RSPCA after the 13-year-old pet, called Zippy, died alone in the empty flat in Norfolk Road, Chester.

During an appearance at Chester Magistrates Court she pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to Zippy and failing to meet her needs during August and September 2023.

RSPCA prosecution of Chester woman Natalie Hewson. Image: RSPCA

The RSPCA investigated Hewson after receiving a report that a cat had died after being left unattended at Hewson’s home. Zippy’s body had been removed from the property a week earlier by someone who knew Hewson and buried at another address.

In written evidence to the court, RSPCA Inspector Anthony Joynes who collected Zippy’s remains, said: “I was directed to the rear of the garden and observed a tabby and white female deceased cat which had been removed from a shallow grave prior to my arrival.

“The carcass of the cat was in poor bodily condition with ribs, spine and pelvic bones palpable through the skin.”

Post-mortem examination report showed Zippy had chronic kidney disease that had progressed to renal failure and led to her death on or around September 4, 2023.

Hewson later told Inspector Joynes her cat appeared “fine” three to four days prior to this.

Zippy, who was abandoned by her cruel owner to die.

The vet who carried out the post mortem said adequate supervision of Zippy should have alerted her owner to observe excessive thirst and the need to seek prompt veterinary advice regarding cause and treatment.

“A cat affected by chronic renal disease will display outward signs of clinical abnormality including weight loss – not unusual for a senior cat – but also excessive thirst and urination,” said the vet.

“Each of these observations relies upon the regular (at least daily) and frequent supervision of the cat in order to be able to identify such abnormalities.

“The evidence indicates that Zippy had been left unsupervised for repeated periods of four days, and when she was supervised this was for very short periods of time, just enough for the responsible person to provide further food and water without a significant period of observation of the cat’s behaviour.

“In my opinion the needs of Zippy had not been met due to a lack of adequate supervision with a failure to adequately monitor her and ensure she was not showing signs of illness or disease. The failure to meet the needs her needs also led to her having unrecognised chronic renal disease which had progressed to renal failure.”

Inspector Joynes made repeated attempts during October and November 2023 to contact Hewson to interview her about Zippy but got no response.

On November 15 the inspector spoke to a man at a property at Llay in Wrexham where Hewson was said to be staying and left a message asking her to get in touch urgently.

Numerous further attempts to make contact were made until an interview was finally conducted on December 6.

In it, Hewson told the officer she had left the property in Chester because of asbestos and that the council had taken longer than anticipated to fix it. She accepted she had been to the flat about ten times in 30 days, staying for about ten minutes at a time, but admitted she should have done more.

She said she was “devastated” when Zippy died and didn’t know she was unwell.

Speaking after the case Inspector Joynes said: “Life often throws changes in circumstance at us but it’s important to ensure the needs of animals you are responsible for are always met. Zippy was let down by her owner at a time when she needed her most and with tragic consequences.”

Sentencing | 12-month community order with 140 hours of unpaid work; £240 costs and a victim surcharge of £114. Two-year disqualification order applicable to all animals.

Chester Standard
CheshireLive

Animal Abandonment, Dogs, Pet Profiteering, puppy farmers / traffickers, kennels, backyard breeders, Worst of the Worst

Prescot, Merseyside: Leah Best and Dean Nevin

March 27, 2024 misanthropic 3 Comments

CONVICTED (2024) | Leah Best, born 5 August 1999, and Dean Daniel Christopher Nevin, born c. 1996, of Hughes Avenue, Prescot L5* – abandoned their dogs to die after an argument.

RSPCA prosecution of Prescot couple Leah Best and Dean Nevin, who abandoned a dog and her three puppies in a filthy flat.

Peter Mitchell, prosecuting, shared photos of the couple’s Prescot flat which had been abandoned for at least two months between July and September 2023.

The RSPCA called on Merseyside Police to help gain entry to the property after dogs could be heard locked inside on September 19.

Officers found a Staffy crossbreed named Lilly with her three puppies on top of a dirty mattress surrounded by urine and faeces. The court heard that the animals were “thin” and had “obvious skin conditions” due to months on neglect.

One of the puppies was sadly found dead underneath her mum,

Mr Mitchell told the court that the six-month-old dog had been “visibly mauled” as the remaining dogs had “resorted to scavenging [her]” after she had died.

Elsewhere in the flat, RSPCA officers found that the dogs had chewed on empty tin cans as well as other bits of rubbish that was flung about the property.

An RSPCA inspector spoke to Best via her social worker, the court heard.

She claimed she had walked out of the flat and gave Lilly to “someone on the stairs” but wasn’t able to tell the investigators who that was.

Nevin was tracked down and interviewed where he accepted that he’d owned Lilly for around two years and her litter of puppies were “unplanned”.

He said that there had been a “big argument” before the couple, who have seven children between them, walked away from the property.

Defending both, Joe Bleasdale, said: “I accept this does not make for pleasant listening. It is an enormously tragic case.”

He went on to appeal to the district judge that the couple stood before him are remorseful and both “wished they had done something sooner”.

Mr Bleasdale added that the pair have been cooperating with the courts and were aware of “just how serious” the situation is.

District Judge Timothy Boswell branded what Best and Nevin subjected the animals to as “prolonged neglect”.

He said: “It seems to me that these dogs were a part of your family. You bear the responsibility to make sure they’re cared for and the pictures I’ve seen show the tragic consequences of your actions.

“These animals were left alone and hungry. Because of that one died and it is only through the work of vets that the remaining animals survived.”

He said that, despite all the evidence, he would not be sending them to prison. He said: “There are realistic prospects of rehabilitation and there would be a significant impact on your family if you were sent to prison.”

Sentencing | 26-week custodial suspended for a year. A five-year ban on keeping animals.

Liverpool Echo
Mirror
North Wales Live

*Alternative addresses:
Leah Best: Johnson Avenue, Prescot L35 5HD
Dean Nevin: Coronation Drive, Prescot L35 5ES

Animal Abandonment, farms / smallholdings, Food Production

Bolton upon Dearne, South Yorkshire: Paul Desbro

March 23, 2024 misanthropic 2 Comments

CONVICTED (2024) | Paul Desbro, born September 1965, of 58 Hall Broome Gardens, Bolton Upon Dearne, Rotherham S63 8AJ – for cruelty to several sheep found starved and horrifically neglected on his smallholding.

RSPCA prosecution of South Yorkshire smallholder Paul Desbro for cruelty to multiple sheep.

Desbro was prosecuted by the RSPCA following an investigation into the welfare of the livestock in his care. Inspectors visited his smallholding in Mexborough Road in May 2023 following reports of a collapsed sheep.

Animal rescue officer Liz Braidley said that, when she arrived at the paddock, she found two sheep looking skinny and underweight and a third ewe collapsed against the fence.

The ewe was emaciated, with her bones clearly visible. Large sections of her fleece were missing and the skin underneath was red and sore and covered in scabs.

Her wounds were also swarmed with flies, fly eggs and maggots.

“She was trying to turn her head to groom herself and was clearly irritated by the flies around her which were relentlessly landing on her,” Ms Braidley said.

“At this point, I knew I needed further assistance so I contacted my colleagues, the police and a vet.”

Ms Braidley said she was then approached by a man claiming to be the friend of the sheep’s owner and explained that they were aware of her flystrike and had clipped some of her fleece.

However, Ms Braidley said: “…when I asked if they had contacted a vet, the man said no and stated: ‘We will have to call the knacker man tomorrow’.”

The RSPCA found the owner and the police seized three sheep. Sadly, the ewe was put to sleep by a vet to end her suffering.

RSPCA inspector, Jennie Ronksley, said: “This was a sad case involving the neglect of multiple sheep including an emaciated ewe who was so severely burdened with flystrike that her skin was absolutely crawling with maggots and clearly needed veterinary attention.”

Sentencing remarks referred to this as a “deeply concerning case” and called the photographs and video footage “disturbing”.

In mitigation, the court heard that Desbro entered an early guilty plea, that he shared the responsibility of the livestock kept on the smallholding with two other friends and was not experienced in keeping sheep so was ignorant of their welfare needs rather than malicious.

He was described as giving “well-meaning but incompetent care”. He had no previous convictions.

Sentencing | 12-month community order with 250 hours of unpaid work; £114 victim surcharge and £2,000 in costs. He was disqualified from keeping livestock for ten years and cannot appeal this for a minimum of five years. A deprivation order was also made for the two living sheep and their lambs.

Agriland
The Star

Animal Abandonment, Dogs

Newton Aycliffe, County Durham: Chad Kemp

March 20, 2024 misanthropic 2 Comments

CONVICTED (2024) | Chad Kemp, who also uses the alias Joe Lawler, born April 1995, of Gilpin Court, Newton Aycliffe DL5 5EN – left two dogs unattended in a squalid flat.

RSPCA prosecution of Chad Kemp aka Joe Lawler of Newton Aycliffe, County Durham who left two dogs unattended in a filthy flat. — Animal abuser Chad Kemp, who blamed “mental health issues” for his cruelty, only received a three-year ban despite sustained neglect of his dogs

Kemp ignored RSPCA warnings about the conditions at the property his two wolfhounds, Poppy and Marley, were living in and often left them unattended for several days at a time

The court heard that RSPCA Inspectors Gemma Lynch and John Lawson had gone to the ground floor flat in Gilpin Court on May 3, 2023, following reports that the pets had been left unattended.

Tapes had previously been placed over the door lock on a previous visit to check if anyone was entering the property but these were still intact.

In a written statement to the court, Inspector Lynch said: “We were informed that Mr Kemp had not been seen for some time. We returned with police and Mr Kemp was located.

“Strong advice was given to him in regards to not leaving the dogs unattended and to ensure they were not returned to the address until it was a suitable living area.

“Mr Kemp agreed and assured us he would take the dogs to his friends until the flat was cleaned and he removed the dogs while we were present.”

In his evidence, Inspector Lawson described conditions inside the flat as ‘hazardous’ and noted there was medication within reachable height of the dogs on the coffee table.

Three days later Inspector Lynch visited the flat again and spoke to someone there who knew Kemp. He told her the defendant had not returned to the address for days and that he was sitting outside because the smell of urine inside the property was giving him breathing difficulties.

On entering the flat the inspector found it covered in rubbish and faeces and smelling strongly of ammonia.

Poppy and Marley were back living inside and were subsequently seized by police.

Both dogs, who were described as being in a ‘lean’ condition, were taken to a vet to be checked over before being transferred to a private boarding facility to be looked after on behalf of the RSPCA.

A further visit to the flat was made by inspector Lynch on May 25. Kemp was at home and was advised that an investigation was underway. He said he would consider signing the dogs over into RSPCA care, although this didn’t happen.

The passageway and bathroom appeared to have been cleaned up, the court heard, but there were still dog faeces stuck to the floor in various areas and the living room was full of rubbish and unsuitable for animals to be living in.

Repeated attempts were made to arrange an interview with Kemp in the months that followed but phone calls went unanswered and there was no reply at the property or at another address where he was said to be currently living.

Kemp admitted he had failed to meet his pets’ needs by providing them with a suitable environment.

In mitigation the court heard Kemp had been suffering from poor mental health.

Poppy and Marley are being cared for at the RSPCA’s York, Harrogate & District Branch rehoming centre and can now be rehomed by the charity.

Sentencing | three-year ban on keeping animals, except for cockatiels (expires March 2027). Deprivation order on Poppy and Marley.

Northern Echo
ChronicleLive

UK Animal Cruelty Files

Tag Archives: abandonment

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Newton Aycliffe, County Durham: Chad Kemp

CONVICTED (2024) | Chad Kemp, who also uses the alias Joe Lawler, born April 1995, of Gilpin Court, Newton Aycliffe DL5 5EN – left two dogs unattended in a squalid flat.

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