Dog owner banned for life for starving pet in Alva

DOG OWNER BANNED FOR LIFE FOR STARVING PET IN ALVA

A dog owner who starved his four-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier has been banned for life from keeping animals.

Norman Lowson, aged 60, from Alva, Clackmannanshire, pleaded guilty to failing to provide an adequate and wholesome diet for the dog.

Alloa Sheriff Court was informed that when Scottish SPCA officers found the animal, it was emaciated.

The dog, named Kiera, later recovered.

In addition to the lifetime ban, Lowson was also fined £315.

The ban, imposed under Section 40 of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, prohibits Lowson from participating in any activities involving animals, including owning, keeping, working with, or providing services related to animals.

Scottish SPCA Inspector Louise Seddon described the condition of Kiera when first seen: 'When we visited Lowson's property in March 2012, we found Kiera to be in very poor condition.

All her ribs, spine, and pelvic bones were visible and prominent, and her head looked too big for her body.' She added, 'Kiera was assessed with a body score of 1.5 out of 5, where 1 is emaciated and 5 is obese.

Thankfully, Kiera made a full recovery while in our care and has since been re-homed to a loving family.

We are pleased that Lowson has received a life ban, as it shows he is unfit to provide even basic care.'