NORTH EAST COUPLE HANDED LIFETIME ANIMAL BAN AFTER STARVING DOG TO DEATH
A North East couple have been given lifetime animal bans after starving their dog Oreo to death in what magistrates described as "one of the worst cases of animal cruelty they had ever seen".Bull breed Oreo weighed less than half his expected body weight and the remains of plastic were found in his stomach.
Owners Rhys Hagan, 26, and Michelle Hindson, 27, appeared at Peterlee Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, August 27, after they pleaded guilty to two offences contrary to the Animal Welfare Act at an earlier hearing.
Magistrates were told the RSPCA started an investigation after Hagan and Hindson had wrapped Oreo in blankets and taken him to a local PDSA clinic on January 7 this year.
They had asked staff to cremate him, saying the dog had died at home.
However, vets at the practice were so concerned by his body condition they contacted the RSPCA.
An inspector visited Hagan and Hindson at their home in Briar Walk, Hartlepool, where they both admitted they had owned Oreo for two years.
They said the dog was fine in the morning and they thought he just needed worming before they discovered him dead in his cage later that day.
The PDSA vet who examined Oreo and gave written evidence to the court said: "Oreo was emaciated with a body condition score of 1/9.
He also had severe generalised muscle atrophy and his eyes were extremely sunken." "There were multiple wounds all over his body.
Many of these wounds were located over pressure points, and therefore I suspect were pressure sores." "The white fur on his feet, groin and sternum was stained yellow in colour - I suspect due to urine staining.
My findings when examining Oreo's body indicate that he was suffering in the period leading up to his death." "The severe weight and muscle loss suggests a chronicity to this suffering of which, to the best of my knowledge, the owner did not seek veterinary treatment for.
Furthermore the wounds to Oreo’s body and presence of staining of his fur suggest he was not kept in a suitable environment and was not protected from pain, suffering or injury." A post mortem found there were no underlying factors which could have contributed to Oreo's emaciated state and the cause of death was starvation.
A second vet who examined his body and reviewed the report's finding also gave written evidence in the case.
She said Oreo weighed 9.9kgs (21.82lbs), whereas a dog of his breed and size would be expected to weigh more than 20kgs (44.09lbs).
He had 13 skin lesions - nine pressure sores and four lacerations - and plastic material was found in his empty stomach.
She said it was her opinion Oreo had been caused unnecessary suffering due to the defendants' failure to investigate his poor body condition, and that it had been going on for at least six weeks.
Magistrates said it was quite clear Oreo had been allowed to starve to death over a very long period of time and described it as "one of the most serious cases of animal cruelty they had ever seen in all the years we have been on the bench." Hagan and Hindson were both given 38-week prison sentences, suspended for 12 months.
They were ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £187 and costs of £50 each.
Hagan was also fined £200 and Hindson was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.
speaking after the case, Mark Gent, RSPCA chief inspector for Durham, said: "The pictures of Oreo are extremely upsetting and show the extent of the lengthy starvation he very sadly suffered.
This was recognised by the suspended prison sentence and the lifetime bans handed to both defendants."
