Tag Archives: Paisley

Dogs, Pet Sitters, Dog Walkers, Boarding Kennels

Paisley, Renfrewshire: John Stokesley

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CONVICTED (2022) | professional dog walker John Stokesley trading as Paws N Go, born 13 January 1969, of 91 Spencer Drive, Paisley PA2 0TW – left his dog in pain and distress.

Stokesley pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to his dog Ziva, a two-year-old Rottweiler-German shepherd cross.

Ziva had suffered injuries to her legs and ears but Stokesley didn’t take her to a vet for four days. As a result her wounds were infected and Ziva developed sepsis. She eventually had to be put down as her injuries were so severe.

Scottish SPCA inspector Gillian Dick said: “We were contacted by a veterinary practice after Stokesley presented the dog there for treatment on November 15, 2019.

“He stated that another dog in the property had attacked Ziva on Monday November 11, 2019. The owner informed the practice that Ziva had a few wounds, which he had been bathing and treating at home but that she had stopped eating.

“Ziva was carried into the practice, as she was unable to walk. The vet had to examine Ziva while she lay on the floor as the dog was so weak she could not even lift her head.

“Ziva was extremely dehydrated and also appeared to be in shock. She had many wounds but the most significant was on her right hind leg. The wound was necrotic and so deep that the bone was exposed. She also had a deep, pus-filled wound behind her right ear.

“The veterinarian advised that Ziva was in septic shock and was suffering from multi-organ failure. Her back leg was so badly infected that it would need to be amputated but because Ziva was so weak she would not survive the anaesthetic and sadly the decision had to be made to euthanise her.”

Paws N Go logo
Stokesley has a dog-walking business named Paws N Go

The Scottish SPCA said it was disappointed Stokesley wasn’t issued with a ban on keeping animals.

“Stokesley failed to take appropriate action and respond to the urgency of his dog’s condition, which ultimately led to her suffering from excruciating and debilitating injuries, which became so severe that the only option was euthanasia to end her suffering,” added Inspector Dick.

“He is employed as a dog walker and has responsibility for animals in his care on a daily basis, which makes this incident even more concerning.

Anyone working in a professional capacity with animals would be expected to have easily recognised the severity of Ziva’s injuries.

“Had he taken swift action at onset of injury and provided his dog with the appropriate veterinary attention, she need not have suffered and may even still be alive and well today.

“We are pleased Stokesley has been fined but disappointed he was not issued with a ban given his employment involves caring for animals on a daily basis. We would hope he would think long and hard about his ability to care for animals going forward.”

Sentencing: fined £800. No ban.

Daily Record
Glasgow Live

Dogs, Serial Animal Abusers

Paisley, Renfrewshire: Robert Clark

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CONVICTED (2022) | serial animal abuser Robert Clark, born c. 1961, of Canal Terrace, Paisley PA1 2HS – left his elderly pet dog in extreme pain with a broken leg.

Cruel Robert Clark was banned from owning animals for ten years after failing to get veterinary help for his badly injured "companion", an elderly border collie named Jess.
Cruel Robert Clark was banned from owning animals for ten years after failing to get veterinary help for his badly injured “companion”, an elderly border collie named Jess. He has a previous conviction for animal cruelty.

Procurator fiscal Martine McGuigan showed pictures of Jess with a deformed front leg, which was as a result of a collision in May 2019.

Ms McGuigan told the court: “On May 15, 2019, Inspector Dick of the SSPCA received a call on the animal welfare line.

Jess was left without veterinary treatment after being hit by a car. Picture: SSPCA
Jess was left without veterinary treatment after being hit by a car. She was eventually euthanised on welfare grounds after being found in agony with a deformed leg.

“The anonymous caller stated that the dog’s paw was sitting at a strange angle and unable to bear any weight.

“Inspector Dick was able to speak with the accused on the phone who stated the dog had been involved in a road traffic accident and had an injured leg that he was treating himself.

“The SSPCA inspector told the accused he must seek veterinary attention and provided Clark with details of practices in Paisley.

“On May 16, Inspector Dick attended at the property as a follow-up to the call.

“The inspector spoke to the accused and the dog was brought to her.

“It was immediately apparent the dog was not weight bearing in her front leg, her paw was twisted, swollen and warm to touch and there was a clear sense of discomfort and yelping during the examination.

“It was clear the dog was in extreme pain.”

The court heard the SSPCA inspector “expressed concern” to Clark about Jess. It also emerged that the road traffic accident was seven days prior to the SSPCA being anonymously notified.

Ms McGuigan continued: “The accused stated he had bandaged the dog’s leg and it had been like that a number of days.

“The accused was advised that Jess would be removed and the matter reported to the procurator fiscal.

“Jess was seen by a vet and it was concluded she had a broken bone in her front leg, she was 15kg and described as ‘very thin.’

“The carpus bones, which are the equivalent of a wrist joint in her leg was deformed and swollen and the X-rays showed she had osteoarthritis.

“The dog was given pain relief and then sedated.

“Numerous thick matts were found in her coat and once clipped away it made clearer the poor condition of the dog.

“Over the next couple of days the vets were unable to make Jess comfortable.

“They were unable to restore her quality of life and on May 18, she was euthanised on welfare grounds.

“The veterinary report stated that it is imperative for any dog involved in a road traffic accident to receive vet attention without delay, even if it appears not to have any injuries – which was not the case.

“The accused was interviewed where he stated ‘I wish I reacted a bit quicker. I’d rather she passed away here. I knew she was sore.’

“The vet report stated that the dates liable were due to the osteoarthritis and the dog’s condition.”

Defence agent Jim Clarke told the court it was a “great tragedy” that Clark couldn’t afford veterinary attention at the time for Jess.

Mr Clarke said: “Robert Clark is very much saddened by the loss of Jess.

“In the social work report available to the court he states ‘I wish I could have done more.’

“He is profoundly saddened by what happened to Jess.

“He does have an analogous previous conviction, but being almost 60 years of age, he has no intention of owning a pet again.”

Sheriff Lindsay Kooner said: “No one could fail to be distressed by what the procurator fiscal indicated.

“I can see from your demeanour you accept your responsibility.

“I accept you’ve indicated your profound regret ad sadness at the loss of your companion of 14 years.

“Your previous conviction concerns me and so I find a disqualification is necessary in this case.”

Sentencing: 150 hours of unpaid work as a “direct alternative to custody”. Disqualified from owning any animal for ten years (expires January 2032).

Daily Record

Dogs

Ferguslie Park, Paisley: Owen Gillespie

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CONVICTED (2020) | Owen Anthony Gillespie, born 09/02/1979, of Westwood Gardens, Paisley PA3 1NA – left a desperately ill dog in agony and locked in a cage

Convicted dog abuser Owen Gillespie from Paisley, Renfrewshire

Gillespie failed to take his pet Staffy, Stella, to the vet to treat a chronic ear condition and an injured foot.

The nine-year-old dog was also suffering from a severe oesophageal condition which left her vomiting violently and in pain.

This resulted in her having to be euthanised by the Scottish SPCA as her condition was too severe to be treated.

The SSPCA attended at Gillespie’s home on April 25, 2019, after they received a call to say a dog could be heard screaming in pain at the property.

When they arrived around 10.45am they found the bull terrier vomiting in a cage in the living room and Gillespie told the officers she had been sick for a few days.

The court heard that Gillespie had not taken the dog to the vet as he couldn’t afford it.

Procurator fiscal depute Laura Wilcox said: “The SSPCA officer explained to Gillespie the reason for her visit and asked if she could view the dog.

“He agreed and invited her into the property where she saw the dog in a cage in the living room.

Staffy Stella, who was neglected by her owner to the extent that she had to be put to sleep

“The dog was in a good bodily condition and seemed bright but she was concerned because the flooring of the cage was covered in watery vomit and the dog was retching as if it was going to be sick.

“He informed the officer that she had eaten the outer covering of a tennis ball a few days prior.

“He let her out of the cage and the officer saw that the dog was lame on her right leg.”

Gillespie was told that the dog would have to receive treatment and that he would qualify for financial help from PDSA as he was unemployed.

It was once the dog was treated by the animal charity’s vet that the full extent of her condition was discovered.

Ms Wilcox added: “Her right front foot was inflamed and there was a nail that was loose. Both ear canals were inflamed, thickened, narrowed and were infected by bacteria and yeast. There was a smell coming from both ears.

“Her abdomen was tense and uncomfortable and it was found that her stomach wall was thickened and that her oesophagus was inflamed and flaccid.

“This meant it was ineffective at propelling food to her stomach.

“Her condition continued to worsen and she continued to vomit and at this point it was decided the best course of action was to euthanise her.”

The court heard the vet had concluded that if Gillespie had sought vet treatment for his dog within an appropriate time, he would have lessened the suffering.

However, prosecutors could not say whether the dog would have survived due to the severity of the stomach condition.

Staffy Stella, who was neglected by her owner to the extent that she had to be put to sleep

Gillespie pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to his dog between February and April 2019 by failing to seek adequate care to treat an injured foot, persistent vomiting and an ear condition.

His lawyer, Amy Spencer said: “He has already paid a penalty in regards to this as he has lost his much-loved dog.

“This is a heartbreaking case for him. He is still completely traumatised.

“He is embarrassed by his actions and he knows he ought to have sought treatment for Stella. He has worked his whole adult life and recently lost his job.

“He really was hoping she would have made a recovery.”

Sentencing: ordered to pay a £500 fine. Banned from keeping dogs for just one year.

Daily Record

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

Paisley, Renfrewshire: Ross Elliot

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CONVICTED (2020) | Ross Elliot, born 18 March 1983, previously of Mountainblue Street, Barrowfield, Glasgow G31 but has moved to Paisley – starved two cats and a dog to death

Serial animal abuser Ross Elliot previously of Barrowfield in Glasgow, now Paisley, Renfrewshire

Serial pet abuser Ross Elliot admitted causing unnecessary suffering to two cats he left to starve to death in his abandoned flat.

Elliot was previously convicted of cruelty after turning up to a vet with the corpse of an emaciated dog. For that offence he was fined £200 and given 12-month pet ban.

Body of cat starved to death by Ross Elliot

Horrified Scottish SPCA inspectors found the bodies of the cats, known as Cheeky and Chilli, curled up in a soiled litter tray and lying beside an empty food bowl.

Body of cat starved to death by Ross Elliot

Inspector Stacey Erwin said: “The cats’ bodies were emaciated and infested with fleas and maggots. Both weighed around 1.4kg — less than half the minimum you’d expect a healthy cat to weigh.

“Our vet concluded the cats likely died a slow and unpleasant death due to a mixture of dehydration and starvation.

“When we informed Elliot of what had happened, he app­eared completely disinterested and unaffected by the news.”

She added: “Three animals have died in Ross Elliot’s care through circumstances which would have been completely avoidable if he’d met their most basic needs of food and water.

“We believe he should have been given a lifetime ban as a minimum. It’s clear he is not fit to own or care for animals and the previous short-term ban did not act as a deterrent.”

Scottish SPCA teams monitored Elliot’s flat for days and noted no-one was attending to the female cats — despite the owner saying a pal was caring for them.

Officers posted food through the letterbox but when they gained entry they found Cheeky and Chilli couldn’t reach it as they had been locked away.

Empty food boxes, full bin bags and piles of unopened mail were also discovered inside.

They said the only water on offer was from an “extremely dirty, stagnant” mop bucket.

The Sun

Update

We are advised that Ross Elliot is living in Russell Street, Paisley PA3 2LP.

Dogs, Worst of the Worst

Paisley, Renfrewshire: Thomas McLaughlin

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CONVICTED (2017) | Thomas McLaughlin, born January 1963, of West Campbell Street, Paisley PA1 2QN – left a poorly golden retriever to suffer with multiple ailments including arthritis and a skin condition

Animal cruelty: Thomas McLaughlin was convicted of causing his dog unnecessary suffering

Cruel Thomas McLaughlin pleaded guilty to charges of causing golden retriever Prince unnecessary suffering by omitting to take the dog to the vet between October 2016 and January 2017 for treatment.

He deliberately ignored Prince’s plight, even though the seven-year-old dog had lost most of his coat, was covered in sores, his paws were badly swollen, and he was constantly scratching patches of its hairless skin.

Fiscal depute Margaret McCallum told the court that an SSPCA inspector had attended McLaughlin’s property after an anonymous complaint about a neglected dog not receiving veterinary attention in respect of its ailments.

She said: “When admitted to the property, the inspector went into the living room where there was a golden retriever dog, normally called Prince, and he could clearly see it had a severe skin condition.

“His entire body was inflamed and red in colour. He was sparsely covered in hair. He had small spots and sores over his body.”

The court was told the room smelt “musky” and the animal could “barely stand” on his swollen paws. He limped slowly along and struggled to move his hind legs and fore legs. Prince also scratched incessantly at his skin.

A veterinary examination showed the dog weighed around 29 kilos and had a body condition scale of 1.5/5, where a scale of one is emaciated and five is obese.

McLaughlin admitted he hadn’t been to the vets for two-and-a-half years and the dog did not have any medication.

The inspector summoned another SSPCA officer to help him deal with Prince’s rescue in January 2017. Sadly he had to be euthanised due to the extent of his ailments which included osteoarthritis and dysplasia.

Sheriff James Spy told the accused he had caused “considerable distress” to the animal requiring the dog to be put down.

Sentencing: 
Fined £1,000. Banned from keeping dogs for 10 years (expires August 2027).

Daily Record

Dogs, Violent and Sadistic Pet Abusers, Worst of the Worst

Paisley, Renfrewshire: Alexander Arrol

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CONVICTED (2017) | Alexander David Arrol, born  23/06/1986, of Waverley Road, Paisley, Renfrewshire – threw a Jack Russell terrier named Max from the window of a second-floor flat, causing him to have a leg amputated

Animal abuser: Alexander Arrol from Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Soulless thug Alexander Arrol

The court heard that Arrol had been asked to leave a party a short time before launching his callous attack on the helpless dog. Max was taken for treatment to a local vet where he was found to have head trauma and wasn’t able to support weight on his right hind leg. The leg later had to be amputated.

Alexander Arrol's victim, Max, as a puppy. The little dog lost a leg in a mindless act of cruelty
Arrol’s victim, Max, as a puppy. The little dog lost a leg in a mindless act of cruelty

Arrol pleaded guilty to causing the dog unnecessary suffering, in breach of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, by throwing him through the window to his severe injury on February 27, 2017.

He also admitted a charge of culpably and recklessly breaking the window and throwing a television set and other unspecified items onto the street below.

Arrol’s lawyer told the court that his client – a career criminal with 55 previous convictions  – suffered from anxiety and depression.

Sentence: Arrol was jailed for 10 months for the offences, reduced from a year as he admitted his guilt.

The Gazette 28/05/2017

Dogs, Violent and Sadistic Pet Abusers, Worst of the Worst

Paisley, Renfrewshire: Steven Ferguson

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CONVICTED (2016) | Steven Edward Ferguson, born 28/04/1985, of Thrushcraig Crescent, Paisley PA2 6PR – left a puppy to suffer with (unexplained) broken legs for nine months

Dog abuser: Steven Ferguson from Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland. Pictured during two court appearances.

Ferguson pleaded guilty to mistreating one-year-old Staffy border collie cross Keira between January and September 2012.

Ferguson took the pup to see a PDSA vet, who confirmed she had a broken femur. But he never took the dog for any further medical treatment and when she was examined nine months later she was found to have a number of other hind leg fractures.

Kiera suffered two broken legs while in the care of Steven Ferguson from Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland but was never seen by a vet
Tragic puppy Kiera suffered two broken legs while in the care of Steven Ferguson but was never seen by a vet

The dog was then taken to a vet to be examined and was deemed to be in such a poor state of health she had to be put to sleep.

Paisley Sheriff Court heard Keira had escaped from Ferguson’s clutches and was found wandering the streets on September 16, 2012.

The Scottish SPCA were called after Keira was spotted struggling to walk and an SSPCA Inspector went to investigate.

Dog abuser: Steven Ferguson from Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland.

Procurator fiscal depute Joanne Gilmour, prosecuting, explained: ““The dog was in obvious distress and pain. It was taken to a vet to be examined and x-rays were carried out.

“It was noted the dog had fractures in both hind legs.

“This would have caused severe pain and for some weeks after they had been sustained.

“In the vet’s opinion the dog had suffered unnecessarily through a lack of proper veterinary attention on more than one occasion.

“Due to the extent of the injuries the dog had to be euthanised.”

As Keira had run away from Ferguson’s home the authorities did not know he was her owner and it was a further month, following a campaign to track him down, that he was detained over the incident.

He admitted “failing to provide adequate treatment for multiple fractures to the rear legs of said dog”.

Ferguson could have been jailed for up to a year for neglecting Keira so badly but Sheriff Susan Sinclair opted to spare him a spell behind bars and he left the building as a free man.

Sentence: 12-month Community Payback Order with 200 hours of unpaid work. Banned from keeping animals for five years (expired April 2021).

The Gazette
Scottish SPCA

Cats, Hoarders

Paisley, Renfrewshire: Angela Guthrie

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CONVICTED (2015) | hoarder Angela Guthrie, born 01/03/1962, originally from Birmingham but as of July 2018 living at 124 Ferguslie, Paisley PA1 2XP – neglected 69 cats she kept in her small council house.

Cat hoarder Angela Guthrie now of Skye Crescent, Paisley
Cat hoarder Angela Guthrie now of Skye Crescent, Paisley

Angela Guthrie herded the male and female cats into her mid-terraced home, coming to own them gradually over the years.

Now she has been banned from keeping more than one of the animals after she failed to take proper care of them, only providing two litter trays for them to relieve themselves in.

The task of caring for the 69 cats became too much for Guthrie and her home became filthy, with the three bedrooms and living room being covered in faeces, urine and rubbish.

Guthrie was due to go on trial over her neglect of the pets, which were of various ages and colours, also charged with failing “to provide adequate water and nutrition for the cats.”

But she struck a deal with prosecutors which saw those claims deleted from the charge against her in exchange for her guilty plea.

Sentence:  £320 fine; banned from owning or keeping more than one cat for four years (expired October 2019).

Birmingham Live 12/10/2015

Dogs, Domestic Violence - Animals Targeted, Violent and Sadistic Pet Abusers

Hamilton, South Lanarkshire: Anthony Allan

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CONVICTED (2015) | Anthony Peter Allan, born 08/03/1993, originally from Paisley, most recently of Kelvin Gardens, Hamilton ML3 9NR but as of February 2020 in prison for murder – punched and kicked a puppy on multiple occasions.

Allan carried out the attacks on the Staffordshire bull terrier pup when he was sharing a flat in Mossvale, Paisley with partner Lauren McMaster.

Depute fiscal Lauren McGonigal told the court: “The dog belonged to Lauren McMaster. It was a young pup.

“Miss McMaster described that, as the arguments between her and the accused worsened, he was taking his anger out on the dog.

“He would repeatedly kick and punch the dog.

“A neighbour who lived through the wall would hear the accused shouting at the dog, and hear sounds of the dog being chased around the property.

“Between January and the end of April she could hear the dog being hit and the dog yelping in pain.”

The depute fiscal added the attacks usually lasted for 15 minutes and happened when Allan’s partner left the flat.

The court heard how he was arrested after the police were called on April 27, 2014, when he behaved in a threatening and abusive way towards McMaster by shouting and swearing at her and threatening to kill himself.

When interviewed by cops he admitted he had been hitting the dog.

Violent dog abuser Anthony Peter Allan went on to commit murder

Allan pleaded guilty to repeatedly punching and kicking the dog and causing it unnecessary suffering and undue distress.

He also admitted a second charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause fear and alarm by shouting, swearing and uttering threats.

When he returned to court to learn his fate, solicitor advocate Chris McKenna said that he had come from a troubled background in which his parents had failed to accept that their son had mental health problems.

As a result, his client described that time as being “a life of torture.”

Sentencing him, Sheriff Colin Pettigrew told Allan: “This utterly defenceless dog was the butt of your anger and suffered misery over a three-month period.”

Sheriff Pettigrew said that due to the serious nature of the offence, he could easily have jailed Allan, but had decided against that and gave him a community sentence instead. 

He said: “You accept you repeatedly punched and kicked the dog causing it undue distress.

“Repeatedly – over a period of three months – undoubtedly the dog’s life was a misery.

“It was the butt of your anger, your temper, and was utterly defenceless in terms of your repeated assaults on it.

“I have no doubt that you should be disqualified from keeping or owning a dog indefinitely.”

Allan agreed to accept drug counselling after it was revealed he had a problem with cannabis.

Sentence: two-year community payback order with 270 hours of unpaid work in a 12-month period. Banned from owning or keeping a dog for life.

Daily Record

Update 2020

In February 2020 Anthony Allan was jailed for a minimum of 18 years after beating a man to death with a baseball bat over a drug debt.

Animal Abandonment, Dogs, Lifers, Worst of the Worst

Paisley, Renfrewshire: Andrea Smiley

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CONVICTED (2008) | Andrea Smiley, born 08/01/1980, of Blackstoun Oval, Paisley PA3 1LR – left her pet German shepherd to starve to death in her abandoned flat.

Heartless Andrea Smiley who abandoned an Alsatian to starve to death
Heartless Andrea Smiley who abandoned an Alsatian to starve to death

The desperate dog had locked condensation from a window in a desperate attempt for water.

A post mortem showed Snowy had no traces of food in her stomach and had lost two-thirds of her body weight.  She had been shut in a room of the ground-floor flat, amid total squalor with the door tied with string and wool to keep it shut. By the time worried neighbours raised the alarm it was too late and Snowy had already died from starvation.

Before sentence was passed, Smiley’s defence agent made a plea for mitigation. He said two psychiatric reports had been submitted showing that his client was emotionally unstable and experiencing bouts of depression which led her to self-harm.

He also said she was living in fear after being threatened following publicity from earlier hearings.

Sentence: 240 hours of community service. Banned from keeping animals for life.

BBC News