Tag Archives: Coventry

Animal Abandonment, Cats, Dogs, Multiple Species, Worst of the Worst

Wyken, Coventry: Laura Tate

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CONVICTED (2023) | Laura Tate, born 2 February 1989, previously of Union Street, Liverpool L3 but now of 38 MacDonald Road, Wyken, Coventry CV2 5FF – left a dog and cat to starve to death in squalor.

Laura Tate's pets were found dead after being abandoned in a squalid Liverpool flat without food or water.
Laura Tate’s pets were found dead after being abandoned in a squalid Liverpool flat without food or water.

The deceased animals were found by the property’s landlord on April 14, 2022, after Tate had moved out and left them behind.

Genghis, a black and white bull breed dog was found dead in the hallway after being shut in the lounge with no food or water. He had escaped from the lounge through a hole in the door.

Tiggy, a long-haired ginger cat, was found deceased amongst rubbish in one of the bedrooms.

Laura Tate's pets were found dead after being abandoned in a squalid Liverpool flat without food or water.

Both of the animals were decomposing and had most likely been dead for several days at the flat on Union Street, Liverpool city centre..

Photos show the flat covered in waste with litter and empty bags of pet food strewn on the floor. Another picture shows the hole Genghis made to get out of the filthy living room.

RSPCA Inspector, Leanne Cooper, attended the property, she said: “On approach to the door of the flat I could smell a strong, foul smell which smelt like rotting flesh.

“This smell increased when the door was opened and when I went inside it was overpowering.

“I could immediately see a dead dog laying in the hallway.”

Laura Tate's pets were found dead after being abandoned in a squalid Liverpool flat without food or water.

She added: “The dog was a black bull breed type and looked to be very underweight with ribs, spine and hips prominent.

“I realised I couldn’t see the dog’s eyes and so it appeared to me that he had been dead for some time and was in the stages of decomposition.

“The whole floor of the lounge area was covered in dried faeces – some of which were mouldy – with no clean area to stand in.

“I couldn’t see any evidence of food or water provided.”

The vet who examined the animals concluded they died of dehydration, telling the court: “From the information provided it is not possible to conclude accurately how long they had been deceased when discovered on April 14 (2022), although the absence of eyes suggests they had been dead for at least several days.”

“However, it is reasonable to conclude they died while housed within the flat and at that time they did not have access to drinking water and the environment was unsuitable by virtue of numerous faeces deposits and physical injury hazards such as sharp edged tin cans and shards of glass.

“In the absence of water, both likely died of dehydration.

“Dehydration causes suffering via mechanisms of pain, disorientation, weakness, eventual collapse, organ failure and death.”

Tate pleaded guilty to two offences following a prosecution by the RSPCA.

The court heard in mitigation that she had moved out to live with a friend but planned on getting her own place and retrieving her pets.

She said their deaths had “broken her heart”.

Sentencing | 20-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. 20 days of rehabilitation activity; 100 hours of unpaid work. Disqualified from keeping any animals for ten years (expires October 2033).

Liverpool Echo
ITV News

Dogs, ear cropping and tail docking, Pet Profiteering, puppy farmers / traffickers, kennels, backyard breeders

Stoke Heath, Coventry: Wayne Ruiz

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CONVICTED (2023) | backyard breeder Wayne Carlos Ruiz, born 17 June 1977, of 45 Little Fields, Stoke Heath, Coventry CV2 3HA – arranged illegal ear cropping procedures for dogs.

Animal abuser Wayne Ruiz from Coventry, West Midlands.

Ruiz, who trades under the name Roos.XL.Bullys, was taken to court after posting pictures of his XL bully dogs on Instagram, and when officers raided his home they found blood splattered up a wall.

Ruiz was visited by an RSPCA inspector at his previous address in Nuneaton following a report being made to the charity about his dogs having cropped ears,

Dogs subjected to painful ear cropping by animal abuser Wayne Ruiz from Coventry, West Midlands.

Warwick Crown Court heard. Inspector Louise Marston said in a witness statement that, although he was not in during that visit, she saw two XL bullies, Lava and Kong, in his garden and could see they had cropped ears.

But photos of the same dogs posted on social media just weeks earlier by Ruiz showed them with ears intact.

Dogs subjected to painful ear cropping by animal abuser Wayne Ruiz from Coventry, West Midlands.

Following the RSPCA’s initial visit, a search warrant with the police was obtained and, on September 28, 2022, Inspector Marston, an RSPCA animal rescue officer, a council dog warden and a police officer went to Ruiz’s address.

An ear splint was found during the search, and there was blood splatter across a wall in the dining room – likely from one of the dogs shaking its head, according to the RSPCA.

Dogs subjected to painful ear cropping by animal abuser Wayne Ruiz from Coventry, West Midlands.

A notebook was found on Ruiz’s bed, with his Instagram profile name written on the first page, and also including a brief family history of each puppy along with “£5,500” written underneath their names.

Research by the RSPCA’s intelligence team concluded that images on Ruiz’s social media pages of XL bully puppies – with their ears intact – were Lava and Kong. Enquiries also showed that Ruiz had deleted posts, including images of Lava and Kong as puppies.

Inspector Marston made enquiries with the man who sold Lava and Kong to Ruiz, who confirmed the dogs didn’t have cropped ears when they were sold, and that he was unhappy that the dogs he bred ended up as they had.

An expert vet witness for the RSPCA confirmed that Lava and Kong had suffered as a result of having their ears cropped, adding: “Ear cropping is illegal in the UK and EU as it is considered an act of mutilation.

“If these dogs had ear-cropping procedures performed in the UK then it is assumed they were not performed by a registered veterinary surgeon, as it is illegal. This means that they can not have legally received appropriate pain relief either during or after the procedure, resulting in them experiencing unnecessary pain and suffering. Any owner who willingly allowed for this procedure to be carried out will have failed to protect from pain, suffering, injury and disease.”

Ruiz pleaded guilty to two Animal Welfare Act offences.

Animal abuser Wayne Ruiz from Coventry, West Midlands.

Inspector Marston said: “Ear cropping is a horrific, immoral, unnecessary and repulsive practice which has absolutely no benefits for the dogs and can cause them lifelong health, behavioural and social problems.

“This is done purely for cosmetic purposes. We would urge the public and anyone looking to buy a puppy to remember this is an illegal procedure, which has a hugely negative impacts for the dogs themselves.”

Sentencing | 18-week prison sentence suspended for 18 months. 15-year ban on keeping animals.

CoventryLive

Dogs, ear cropping and tail docking, Pet Profiteering, puppy farmers / traffickers, kennels, backyard breeders

Stoke, Coventry: Gurminder Singh Heer

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CONVICTED (2023) | backyard breeder Gurminder Singh Heer, born c. 17 December 1980, of 207A Swan Lane, Stoke, Coventry CV2 4GE – kept a starving dog and her seven young puppies in deplorable conditions.

Coventry man Gurminder Singh Heer chained a starving dog that had given birth to puppies to a fridge
Sasha was starved and chained to a fridge after giving birth to seven pups

When RSPCA inspector Ben Jones attended the home of Gurminder Singh aka Gurminder Singh Heer on October 12, 2022, he found Presa Canario Sasha tethered to a fridge freezer by a metal chain. She was extremely underweight with her spine, ribs and pelvic bones visible. Opposite her were seven young puppies, around three weeks old, in a rusty metal box.

Coventry man Gurminder Singh Heer chained a starving dog that had given birth to puppies to a fridge

With Heer’s permission, the RSPCA inspector took Sasha and her puppies to the charity’s Birmingham Animal Hospital. Due to their poor condition, all eight dogs were admitted for treatment.

The vet who examined Sasha found her to weigh 25.7kg (56.7lb) – nearly half the 40kg (88lb) healthy average for her breed.

As she was too weak to feed her puppies, they were weaned early.

In a statement to the court, the vet said: “Although some loss in body weight is expected during lactation, it is imperative that an owner feeds the dog appropriately to ensure this is minimised.

“Due to the extent of her poor body condition and the lack of other pre-existing conditions detected on blood work, which may have exacerbated this lack of body condition – it can be confirmed that this dog had been suffering through a process of a lack of appropriate nutrition. The duration of this is approximately three weeks, though likely longer.”

Fed a proper diet Sasha returned to healthy weight for her breed
Fed a proper diet Sasha returned to healthy weight for her breed

The court heard that within a month of being in the RSPCA’s care, Sasha gained 6kg in weight.

Asked by a magistrate if he had booked a vet appointment for Sasha, Heer said he had booked one for two weeks after she had given birth.
When asked why he didn’t take her sooner, he told the court: “I didn’t want her to be kept away from the pups. Why I pleaded guilty is because ‘yes I should have fed her more food’.”

In mitigation, Heer told the court he was not a bad dog owner and that he had £222 worth of dog food in his fridge which he had been feeding Sasha.

Magistrates noted Heer’s refusal to accept responsibility for his actions and his complete lack of remorse, but decided not to impose an immediate custodial sentence.

Fed a proper diet Sasha returned to healthy weight for her breed

The seven puppies have all since been rehomed by the RSPCA. Sasha has now been renamed Flora and is up for adoption at the charity’s Bryn-y-Maen Animal Centre in Colwyn Bay, Wales.

Sentencing | eight-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months; 80 hours of unpaid work; £400 costs and a £128 victim surcharge. Banned from keeping dogs for just two years (expires July 2025)

CoventryLive

hare coursing, Organised Animal Crime, Traveller Animal Crimes, Wildlife Crime / Bloodsports

Coventry, West Midlands / Rushden, North Northamptonshire: Darren Lee and Ronnie Doherty

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CONVICTED (2023) | hare coursers Darren Lee, born c. 1996, of Top Road, Barnacle, Coventry CV7, and Ronnie Doherty, born 28 March 2001, of Newton Road, Rushden NN10.

Ronnie Doherty, a traveller and wildlife criminal based in Rushden, North Northamptonshire
Ronnie Doherty, a traveller and wildlife criminal based in Rushden, North Northamptonshire

Gypsy travellers Lee and Doherty both pleaded guilty to charges of trespass with intent to pursue hares with dogs in August 2022.

Ronnie Doherty, a traveller and wildlife criminal based in Rushden, North Northamptonshire

The pair were prosecuted after being caught hare coursing in the South Holland district of Lincolnshire. One incident took place in Gedney Dyke and the other in Whaplode Drove.

Ronnie Doherty, a traveller and wildlife criminal based in Rushden, North Northamptonshire

They were arrested when a witness used binoculars to note a Jaguar’s registration plate as they fled Middle Drove, Gedney Dyke, after being seen bundling sighthounds into the vehicle.

Ronnie Doherty, a traveller and wildlife criminal based in Rushden, North Northamptonshire

Prosecutor Paul Wood said a phone seized from Doherty contained voice messages and conversations about hare coursing as well as photos of leaflets of Lincolnshire Police’s combative Operation Galileo and the new legislation.

There were also 13 videos of hare coursing activity, with at least one filmed that day.

“Mr Doherty narrating ‘this is how me and young Darren goes coursing, boys,’” Mr Wood said.

Ronnie Doherty, a traveller and wildlife criminal based in Rushden, North Northamptonshire

In light of the pleas, the Crown Prosecution Service withdrew a similar charge relating to West Pinchbeck and a charge of hunting a wild mammal elsewhere in South Holland, both on the same date as the offences which they admitted.

Jason Patel, mitigating for both men, said that hare coursing “is an activity which is unfortunately entrenched in their history.”

He added: “These young men will have grown up with this activity around them.”

Ronnie Doherty, a traveller and wildlife criminal based in Rushden, North Northamptonshire

Lee and Doherty were the first in Lincolnshire to be charged under new laws to tackle illegal hare coursing.

The Police Crime Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, which passed into law on 1 August 2022, made it an offence to go equipped for, search for, or pursue hares with dogs, and an offence to trespass with intent to search for or pursue hares with dogs.

Those convicted of doing so face an unlimited fine and up to six months in prison.

It also allows courts to order a reimbursement of the costs of kennelling which is paid for by the police.

Sentencing | Lee and Doherty were each ordered to pay an equal share of £11,144 for kennelling and veterinary costs. They were banned from keeping dogs for five years. The rehoming order was suspended until 31 March 2023 to enable them to rehome their dogs

The court issued an order to Doherty for the forfeiture and destruction of a thermal scope used to detect body heat of hares.

BBC News
Spalding Today

Dogs, Violent and Sadistic Pet Abusers

Leamington Spa, Warwickshire: Christopher White

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CONVICTED (2021) | Christopher Paul White, born 30 April 1975, of Fallow Hill, Leamington but with links to Rugby and Coventry – kicked and hit his pet dog

Career criminal Christopher White, who in February 2013 was given nine years in jail for dealing in class A drugs, was found guilty in his absence of causing unnecessary suffering to a Staffordshire bull terrier called Ozzy.

The attack happened in September 2020.

The dog’s condition is not known.

The source article doesn’t say whether he received a ban on keeping animals.

Sentencing: community order including 150 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation activity requirement; £100 court costs.

Coventry Telegraph

Animal Abandonment, Cats, kitten breeders, Lifers, Pet Profiteering

Holbrooks, Coventry: Monika Listos

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CONVICTED (2021) | Monika Listos aka Moniczka Listos, born 21/09/1994 of 66 Lauderdale Avenue, Coventry CV6 4LL – ran an illegal kitten farm and neglected the animals in her care.

Monika Listos ran an illegal kitten farm from a Coventry house
Monika Listos ran an illegal kitten farm from an unoccupied house in Coventry

Polish national Listos, who traded under the name Cashmere Touch Ragdoll and is a known associate of notorious breeder Lizzie Scarrott, kept a number of very young and sick kittens in a squalid empty house before selling them on the internet.

Listos would purchase the kittens from online adverts before flogging them on Gumtree for a profit.

She was investigated by the RSPCA following 46 complaints about her actions from concerned members of the public.

Prospective buyers reported that kittens were being sold which were too young to be away from their mum and many were gravely ill.

Monika Listos ran an illegal kitten farm from a Coventry house
The Polish national was jailed and banned from keeping all animals for life

Listos was found guilty of two animal welfare offences following a three-day trial and was jailed for 20 weeks. She was also banned from keeping animals for life.

Animal welfare inspectors attended the address where the kittens were being sold from on Lillington Road, Wood End, on April 27, 2019.

Numerous kittens could be seen in the barely furnished living room including one which was very small and was not moving.

Inside there were 18 kittens – believed to be in three separate litters – who were living in poor conditions.

RSPCA Inspector Louise Marston said: “I noticed a very bad smell of illness, diarrhoea and filth.

“There was a small tupperware tub present containing some dry kitten food, an empty plate and an empty plastic double bowl.

“There was no water at all, no bedding and no toys for the kittens to play with. There were no adult cats seen and each room was empty of all furnishings.
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“The smallest kitten was on the couch huddled between two other kittens. She felt very thin and her bottom was very dirty, covered in diarrhoea.

“There was no way that she could physically access food, water and the litter tray without being taken on and off the couch as she was too small and clearly too weak to climb herself.”

The pets were taken to a nearby vets who found the kittens to be in a suffering state so Louise contacted Listos for her to be interviewed under caution.

Sadly, the smallest kitten found at the address died overnight while in veterinary care.

Monika Listos ran an illegal kitten farm from a Coventry house
Listos and her partner are known associates of Lizzie Scarrott, whose illegal breeding operation was exposed by BBC Watchdog in 2018

Some of the other kittens were found to be aged four and five weeks old – which is too young to be away from their mum. This would usually be aged around eight weeks.

Twelve of the 18 were found to be suffering from feline parvovirus and also died.

The other six were rehabilitated and re-homed through the RSPCA’s Coventry and District Branch.

Lizzie Scarrott's comment on LIstos's Facebook profile
The pair have much in common, not least a callous disregard for the kittens they breed

Louise said: “Sadly, kittens infected with feline parvovirus is something we do see, when kittens’ mothers were not vaccinated before becoming pregnant.

“These kittens were found in a house on their own and many were far too young to be away from their mum and were also at risk from the spread feline parvovirus via contact with contaminated faeces.

“Anyone looking for a new kitten should take time to make sure they have been bred responsibly, to avoid health and behavioural issues further down the line.”

Sentencing: jailed for 20 weeks; ordered to pay a total of £10,115. Banned from keeping animals for life.

CoventryLive
Coventry Observer

Additional Information

Monika Listos’s fiancé is Arek ‘Adam’ Palka, also very good friends with Lizzie Scarrott and her husband Chris.

Monika Listos with Arek Palka
Monika Listos with Arek Palka.

Listos also has a pet sitting business (possibly now defunct) aimed at her fellow UK-based Poles. Its name is ‘Opieka nad zwierzętami Anglia’ which translates as Animal Care England.

Animal Abandonment, Cats, Dogs, Multiple Species, Worst of the Worst

Keresley End, Coventry: Kimberley King

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CONVICTED (2021) | Kimberley Anne King, born c. 1987, of Thompsons Road, Coventry CV7 – neglected a cat who died and left a skeletal dog close to death

Kimberley King and the dog she starved and neglected
Kimberley King, a mother-of-two young boys, neglected and starved Shyla and a young cat named Misty. Despite being at death’s door, the four-year-old Staffy was nursed back to health and has been rehomed

Mother-of-two Kimberley Anne King, who failed to appear in court, was given a 12-week suspended jail sentence in her absence after being found guilty of two charges of causing unnecessary suffering to a cat and dog.

The court heard how the RSPCA were called to investigate King following reports by a member of the public who was concerned about her cat’s health.

Inspector Nicola Johnson visited King’s address during the evening of January 7, 2020, and asked to see the cat, a two-year-old known as Misty, but King told her had been found dead three days before and was buried in the garden.

Inspector Johnson returned to the property the following day to retrieve the cat’s body and King asked her if she had room in her RSPCA van to take away a dog. The inspector was taken to see the four-year-old dog called Shyla who was in the kitchen of the house. She was shaking and barely able to stand.

In her statement Inspector Johnson said: “Shyla was in very thin bodily condition. I could see the outline of Shyla’s skeleton underneath her skin.

“Shyla was standing up but her legs and body were shaking and her head pressed against a piece of furniture.

It was obvious Shyla was very ill and in desperate need of veterinary attention.

“I saw Shyla stagger around the kitchen, having to use the walls to lean against to keep herself upright before falling to the floor.”

The inspector was given permission by King to rush the dog to a local vet for emergency treatment.

She had to carry Shyla to her van as she was too weak to walk while an RSPCA colleague, inspector Helen Smith, retrieved Misty’s body from the garden.

The vet described Shyla as ‘starving and close to death’ and on a body score rating of one to nine (9 being healthy) Shyla was graded as one with severe muscle wastage with bones prominent .

The body of Misty was also examined and was described as ‘chronically emaciated’ and rated with the same body score of one.

The vet also found pieces of plastic in the cat’s stomach suggesting she had been scavenging for food.

Convicted animal abuser Kimberley King from Coventry, West Midlands, UK

In a statement the vet said: “Shyla was suffering unnecessarily from neglect and starvation, her welfare needs were not met, she was incredibly close to death, showing hypoglycemia and neurological signs as a result of severe malnutrition.

“Based on how Shyla and the cat presented, I believe that they both would have been suffering for at least two weeks duration.

“The level of starvation and malnutrition would not have occurred in less time than this.”

After initial treatment Shyla was transferred to a local PDSA branch where she received ongoing care until she was strong enough to be transported to the RSPCA’s Newbrook Animal Hospital in Birmingham on January 10.

During her interview King said she had been away from the property from Christmas Eve until Boxing Day and the pets were left unattended.

She also said she didn’t realise how thin Misty, an indoor cat, was at the time of her death. She said Shyla became ill after the cat died and added she did not seek help for the dog when the RSPCA first visited as she was in shock.

Shyla was returned to health and a normal weight with a proper feeding regime.

When Inspector Johnson visited Shyla just two weeks later on January 24 she took a video clip of her which showed how much she had improved in her condition and demeanor from when she was first taken to the vets.

Shyla was then put up for adoption and has been rehomed by the RSPCA’s Coventry and District branch.

Inspector Johnson said: “Both pets had been left to suffer through starvation and there is never an excuse not to feed your pets.

“Poor Misty didn’t survive and Shyla was very close to death – but I am so pleased she has made a remarkable recovery.

“I am very grateful to the vets and PDSA who assisted in this team effort to help Shyla. She has put on a lot of weight and is now enjoying life in her new home.”

Sentencing: 12-week suspended prison sentence; ordered to pay £322. Banned from keeping animals for 10 years (expires December 2030).

Coventry Observer

Dogs

Bell Green, Coventry: Darren Haywood

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CONVICTED (2019) | Darren Haywood, born c. 1982, of Chaloner Close, Bell Green, Coventry CV2 1UE – allowed his two dogs to become severely underweight and failed to get treatment for their skin conditions.

Animal abuser Darren 'Daz' Haywood of Coventry and his neglected dogs Tyson and Missy

Haywood was found guilty in his absence of three animal welfare offences, including causing unnecessary suffering.

The court heard how his Staffies, named Tyson and Missy, were severely underweight and suffering an untreated skin condition which had led to fur loss.

A concerned member of the public reported the matter to the RSPCA and Inspector Helen Smith was sent to investigate on March 4, 2019.

She found the dogs at Haywood’s address and could see immediately they both were underweight and appeared to have fur loss caused by a skin condition – they also smelt from the infection.

She was given permission to take them for veterinary treatment where the vet concluded both pets had suffered unnecessarily.

He found Tyson, aged 8, weighed 14.5kgs when a normal weight would have been 18-20kgs. His bones were protruding and he was constantly scratching due to a skin infection which had led to fur loss.

Missy, also aged 8, was also underweight at 15.2 kgs and again was constantly scratching due to a severe skin infection. Both dogs have now recovered in RSPCA care and will be available for re-homing soon.

Inspector Helen Smith said: “It was clear from the smell of the dogs and their appearance that both had a severe infection and they were constantly scratching.

“They were also clearly underweight as many of their bones were protruding.

“There is never an excuse not to feed your pets or to leave them suffering when they should be taken immediately to a vets.

“Many vets will offer a payment plan to help spread the cost and there are charities who can help with vet bills.”

Haywood failed to appear for a previous hearing and was sentenced in his absence. He was later arrested but failed to appear for a sentencing hearing. A warrant was issued for his arrest and he was finally brought before the court for sentencing.

In mitigation, the court was told Haywood suffered financial hardship.

Sentencing | 12-month community order with four-month curfew; 15-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement; ordered to pay a £85 victim surcharge. Banned from keeping animals for five years (expires October 2024).

Coventry Observer

Dogs

Wyken, Coventry: Adam and Shelbie Cook

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CONVICTED (2019) | Adam Cook, born c. 1992, and wife Shelbie Cook (née Keenan), born c. 1996, of Attoxhall Road, Wyken, Coventry CV2 – allowed their pet dog to become severely underweight and failed to get treatment for her skin condition

Animal abusers Adam and Shelbie Cook from Coventry, UK

Adam and Shelbie Cooke pleaded guilty to three charges under the Animal Welfare Act in relation to their two-year-old dog named Sassy.

The American bulldog had fur loss over her face, legs and ears and smelt of yeast due to the nasty skin infection. She was so underfed her ribs, hips and spine could be seen through her skin and her nails were very overgrown. She weighed just 19.3kg when her normal weight should have been 30kg.

American bulldog Sassy was starved and neglected by Adam and Shelbie Cook
American bulldog Sassy was starved and neglected by Adam and Shelbie Cook

In mitigation the couple claimed they had been in financial hardship.

Sassy’s ordeal only came to an end when RSPCA inspector Louise Marston visited the couple’s home following a report from a concerned member of the public in March 2019.

She immediately saw that Sassy was suffering with a bad skin condition and was severely underweight.

Animal abuser Adam Cook from Coventry, UK

Adam Cook allowed Sassy to be taken by Inspector Marston for veterinary treatment while an investigation took place, but refused to sign her over into RSPCA care.

But Sassy was taken into the possession of West Midlands Police under the Animal Welfare Act after a veterinary examination suggested she had suffered unnecessarily.

Following an interview with Inspector Marston a few days later, Adam Cook agreed to sign Sassy over into RSPCA care.

Abused dog Sassy looking healthy and happy
Sassy has recovered in the care of the RSPCA

Inspector Marston said: “As soon as I took Sassy to the vets I offered her water which she gulped down and the vet concluded she was borderline dehydrated. I also offered her food and she was ravenous.

“Her skin was in a terrible condition and her itching had caused fur loss and made some skin thicken, which suggests long-term irritation.

“She was also severely underweight but there was dog food in the house.

“The vet concluded that she had suffered in this way for weeks to months which must have been awful for her.”

Animal abusers Shelbie Cook and Adam Cook from Coventry

Inspector Marston added: “There is never any excuse for not taking pets to a vet if they require treatment. Many vets will offer a payment plan to help spread the cost and there are charities who can help with vet bills.

“I am delighted to say that in the care of the RSPCA Sassy has had her skin condition treated and is back to a normal weight and has now been rehomed.”

Sentencing | Both were given a 12-month community order involving 80 hours of unpaid work and a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement. Ordered to pay £335 costs and charges each. Banned from keeping dogs for five years (expires October 2024).

CoventryLive

Dogs, ear cropping and tail docking, Lifers, Pet Theft

Coventry: Martin Carter

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CONVICTED (2019) | Martin Carter, born, c 1986, of Mercers Meadow, Keresley End, Coventry CV7 8RF – stole a dog from Birmingham Dogs Home and cut off his ears to avoid capture.

Mastiff cross Marley was stolen from Birmingham Dogs Home by his former owner, Martin Carter. He has now been jailed for six months.
Mastiff cross Marley was stolen from Birmingham Dogs Home by his callous former owner, Martin Carter.

The court heard that Martin Carter stole the three-year-old Mastiff cross – known as Marley – during a burglary at Birmingham Dogs Home in November 2017.

Mastiff cross Marley was stolen from Birmingham Dogs Home by his former owner, Martin Carter. He has now been jailed for six months.
Birmingham Dogs Home never gave up searching for Marley and released stills from CCTV footage in the hope of identifying the thief

Staff at charity never gave up the search for the pooch and after a number of appeals police recovered Marley from an address in Keresley, Coventry.

The court was also told that cruel Carter had arranged for the dog’s ears to be surgically cropped off in an attempt to conceal his identity.

He even had the dog’s microchip surgically removed and replaced with another.

Mastiff cross Marley was stolen from Birmingham Dogs Home by his former owner, Martin Carter. He has now been jailed for six months.
Marley pictured before his ears were cruelly mutilated by his former owner, Martin Carter

Marley had been re-homed to the home by the courts after his previous owner was convicted of using the dog in an attack on a woman earlier that year.

Carter’s court appearance came after a police investigation across the West Mercia, Warwickshire and West Midlands Police regions.

An application by the prosecution for Carter to be disqualified from owning animals again was not granted.

Sentencing | six-month custodial sentence for handling stolen goods and three months for the animal offence – to run concurrently. While an application by the prosecution for Carter to be disqualified from keeping animals was not initially granted, this was overturned on appeal in November 2019 and he is banned from keeping animals for life.

Birmingham Mail