Millom man who caused dogs to suffer given pet ban
Last updated at 17:13, Wednesday, 09 January 2013
A MAN has been banned from owning animals after admitting causing suffering to two dogs he allowed to become painfully thin.
The state of the dogs kept by David Ian Hartley, 27, from Millom, was discovered after they ran away from him in September last year.
Furness Magistrates’ Court heard yesterday that they were found and taken to a pound in Pica, near Whitehaven, where the emaciated state of one of the dogs was spotted by RSPCA officer Martyn Fletcher.
Mr Fletcher took one of the dogs, named Roxy, for examination by a vet. Steven Marsh, prosecuting, said the dog weighed only 12kg, when the ideal weight for a dog of its type was 20kg.
The vet concluded the dog had “suffered from food deprivation and hunger for a period of time greater than one or two weeks”, Mr Marsh said.
“This suffering could have been reasonably diverted by providing food.”
Another dog, named Ash, was also at the kennels and found to be under weight, at only 16kg.
An investigation revealed both dogs were owned by Hartley, who began caring for the dogs in 2008.
He was interviewed and said they had not been eating for a month and had become a “bit thin”.
Miss Jane Tunn, defending, said Hartley had begun giving the dogs a worming treatment before they went missing and they had started eating again.
She said: “He accepts he did cause them some short-term suffering by not getting the appropriate veterinary treatment at the appropriate time.”
Hartley, of Lapstone Road, admitted a charge of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.
The dogs were now in the care of the RSPCA and at an acceptable weight and in good health, the court heard.
District Judge Gerald Chalk fined Hartley £90 and ordered him to pay £250 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.
He was also disqualified from keeping animals for five years and will not be able to apply to have the ban lifted for a minimum of two years.
Mr Fletcher told the Evening Mail people should always seek help if their animals had health problems.
He said: “There’s always help available, the worst thing you can do is just ignore it and leave it.
“People can contact the RSPCA and there’s a lot of animal charities that are there to help.”
First published at 11:09, Wednesday, 09 January 2013
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk
He should have been starved. Thanks to Joe and Sharon of Tutehill Home and Rescue these dogs have been brought back to life. These people cared for them out of their pocket with care and dedication. Hope you find youre Forever home soon.
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for the true story of these lovely dogs. see the video on facebook. these dogs were saved by sharon and joe who run tutehill kennels at their own expense. no one else . god bless them
Posted by george on 18 January 2013 at 12:14