CONVICTED (2024) | Carl Wayne Playfair, born c. 1984, of Blyth Road, Walthamstow, London E17 8HS – confined his pet dog to a room in his flat and left her there to starve surrounded by her own faeces.
RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer (ARO) Nicola Thomas, along with police and fire officers, went to Playfair’s home on December 11, 2023.
The dog, Princess, was seized by police and taken to a vet, but she was so unwell she was put to sleep to end her suffering.
A vet report heard by the court claimed the dog was suffering from dehydration and weighed only 10.45kg.
Her ribs, pelvic bones and spine were all visible from a distance and she scored the lowest score possible (one out of nine) on a body condition rating.
The vet concluded that Princess’ emaciation and dehydration were the result of liver disease and it was also possible that a lack of food and water had contributed to her losing weight.
“I would estimate that it would take at least three weeks to reach this level of emaciation if the dog had previously been a normal weight,” said the vet. “She would have been suffering for at least three weeks and, possibly, much longer.”
ARO Thomas said in a statement presented to the court: “I could see every bone in the dog’s hips, spine and legs and the sides of her head were sunken in. Her eyes appeared to be cloudy looking and she was weak and having difficulty standing.
“At one point she did stand up, but it was for a very short period of time and she was wobbling on her legs. In the room she was in there was urine and faeces on the floor, along with empty food wrappings and some empty dog food tins that had what appeared to be teeth marks in the metal.”
Playfair pleaded guilty to three offences under the Animal Welfare Act and was sentenced at Willesden Magistrates’ Court on September 13, 2024.
In mitigation, the court heard that the defendant was suffering from alcoholism and mental health problems.
Sentencing | suspended 12-week prison sentence; 10 days of rehabilitation; alcohol treatment programmed. Banned from having dogs for 10 years (expires September 2034).