STANTON MAN'S PET CAT HAD MAGGOTS AND BONES STICKING OUT
A pet cat being kept in a west Suffolk village home had to be put to sleep after RSPCA inspectors found that it had bones sticking out of its body, a court was told.In the dock at Suffolk Magistrates Court was Bradley Cook, who had admitted failing in his duties under section nine of the Animal Welfare Act, in regard to his black cat, Sammy.
The court heard that RSPCA inspectors visited Cook, of Meadow Court, Stanton, after receiving concerning reports that the cat was unable to use its hind legs.
In the garden, they discovered Sammy lying in the sun, its breathing laboured.
There were areas of missing skin and fur on its rear quarters and one leg was swollen to “double or triple” the size of the others.
When an inspector took a closer look at Sammy’s paws, they could see bone sticking out.
A vet found that the three-year-old Sammy was infested with fleas and maggots and was “saturated” in urine, with multiple open wounds.
The decision was made to put Sammy to sleep.
The 48-year-old Cook, who declined a voluntary police interview, told inspectors that the cat had recently gone missing for 10 days and had returned “a couple” of days before inspectors called on July 28 last year in a very poor condition.
He said he intended to take the cat to the vets the following day.
Cook also maintained that he thought the cat had been hit by a car, although an X-ray did not identify any bone fractures.
He also said the cat was unable to use its hind legs since being a kitten, but had otherwise lived “a happy life”, said Cook’s representation, Jeff Lewis.
Concerns were raised about Cook’s dog, Bambam, which was also “infested” with fleas when inspectors called.
Numerous attempts were made to have Cook take the dog to the vets.
He finally did so when inspectors pointed out there was a mobile vet clinic a few doors down from his address and gave him a £100 voucher.
The magistrates decided that Cook could not be allowed to keep animals for the next 10 years and made an order for Bambam to be rehomed.
Cook was given a prison sentence of 12 weeks suspended for 12 months.
He will pay court costs of £500, a surcharge of £154, and will have to carry out up to 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
