EMACIATED BELGIAN MALINOIS FOUND AT MIDDLESBROUGH WOMAN'S PROPERTY
A woman received a five-year ban from owning animals following the discovery of her Belgian Malinois-type dog in a neglected state within a dirty garden environment.Chelsea Leigh Haw, aged 29 and living in Middlesbrough, was given the order along with a 12-month community sentence which required her to undertake 20 days of rehabilitative activities.
The RSPCA inspectors found the dog, known as Star, in an unkempt outdoor area lacking clean water and with bedding that was heavily soiled.
Haw was absent during the initial visit on July 13, 2024, but officers returned and found Star still in her garden.
Kirstina Raine, an RSPCA rescue officer, reported to magistrates: 'Star was very thin, with ribs and hips clearly visible.
She had no access to food or water.' The police, joined by RSPCA officers, visited Haw’s property on Melsonaby Avenue the next day.
During the visit, they also identified fur with skin attached near one of two outdoor kennels.
Star, who appeared anxious and aggressive, was found to be critically underweight and was immediately taken for veterinary assessment by police.
She was then entrusted to the RSPCA’s care.
A vet measured her body condition, giving her a score of just one out of nine, with a healthy dog generally achieving around five.
She weighed only 22kg, a significant deficit from the typical 30kg weight expected for her breed.
Images and videos taken at the scene, presented by the RSPCA, showed a dirty yard with faeces everywhere and an absence of proper care for Star.
The veterinary examination confirmed she had been neglected over a long period.
Haw repeatedly failed to cooperate with efforts to speak with her, leading magistrates to issue a five-year ban on her owning animals.
She was also sentenced to a year of community service involving 20 rehabilitative activity days, and ordered to pay costs amounting to £750 along with a £114 surcharge for the victim.
