CONVICTED (2014) | Lee Morris, born 9 May 1979, of Clunbury Road Wellington, Telford TF1 3PA – kept a starving, emaciated dog in a garden shed.
Morris, then of Viewlands Drive in Trench, admitted unnecessary suffering in relation to an unnamed Staffy whom he’d owned for around 12 years.
Vets said the dog had likely been suffering for about four weeks without adequate food before she was signed over to the RSPCA.
Roger Price, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA , said officers visited Morris’s home after receiving calls of concern.
Mr Price said Morris was co-operative with officers, and admitted the animal was thin.
Mr Price, said: “The inspector was taken to the garden shed where the dog was.
“The dog was described as skeletal, its ribs could be seen and its eyes were sunken. The dog also appeared unsteady on its legs.”
Morris told the inspector he had been intending to take the pet to the vet that evening to have her put down.
Morris signed the dog over to the RSPCA.
The dog weighed 7.45 kilos, when an ideal weight for the type of dog was 12.5 kilos and scored one in a body condition scale where one is emaciated and nine is obese.
Tests showed there was no illness that would cause the dog to refuse food and she ate “keenly” when fed.
Mr Price said: “It was the vet’s opinion that the dog was in extremely poor body condition. It was clearly able to eat and very keen to eat. The period of suffering would likely have been four weeks.”
The dog has since been taken on by a new family, who first fostered her, and has since got to 90 per cent of her ideal weight.
Probation officer Phil Kaleta said: “Mr Morris said he takes full responsibility , he knows it’s not right.
“At the time he had split up with his wife. He is quite a normal, hard working gentleman who has found himself in a bad patch through his divorce. He doesn’t seek to excuse himself.”
Sentencing | suspended prison sentence; 230 hours of unpaid work; ordered to pay a total of £1,800. Lifetime ban.
Additional Information
Morris has a construction company named Morris Building Solutions Ltd.
We kindly ask people:
Not To Use The Services Of Morris Building Solutions.
As He Starved His Little Dog.
Thanks Maria. We approve. Love it when you do this 😉 Those bastards deserve every bit of grief they get because of their vile actions.