CONVICTED (2015) | Chernice Louise Merton, who also uses the surnames Pursey and Leslie, born 11 May 1989, of Bramble Road*, Witham CM8 2GX – starved her pet dog to death.
Merton admitted failing to provide an appropriate diet and veterinary treatment for her dog, a two-year-old Jack Russell terrier cross called Bubbles, who was found emaciated and dead in her owner’s care.
The RSPCA was called in December 2014 after Bubbles’ emaciated body was taken to a vet. The vet found that she had been starved to death.
RSPCA inspector Sarah Elmy said: “This poor dog was completely skin and bones and the post mortem revealed she had starved to death.
“She had no remaining internal fat and her gastro-intestinal tract was empty except for a plastic sweet wrapper, which suggests she had been so hungry she had been forced to scavenge rubbish.
“There were no pre-existing abnormalities which could have explained this weight loss.
“Vet records also revealed that Bubbles weighed less when she was brought in at two years of age, than she had at ten weeks, when she was brought in for her second injections.
“It is hard to fathom how anyone could just leave an animal to suffer in this way. Bubbles must have experienced extreme suffering to have died in this sad way.”
Sentence: 100 hours’ unpaid work, £800 costs and £60 victim surcharge. Disqualified from keeping all animals for life
*Updated address from December 2021:
Flemming Way
WITHAM
CM8 2GL
So Sad, Absolutely Heart Breaking.
How the hell can you leave a Little Animal To Starve To Death.
I hope Social Services are keeping an eye on those Children, especially if she is not capable of Feeding A Little Dog.
Yet it was looked after previously and obviously Fed, and taken for its Vaccinations as a Pup. We all know times can get particularly hard, especially after that bad recession we had. As a lot of people also lost their homes. We have to know when to ask for help, or surrender an Animal to a Shelter if need be. Failing which this is the result.