SAMANTHA MCINTYRE ABANDONS CATS IN FAGLEY LEAVING THEM TO STARVE IN BRADFORD

Samantha McIntyre, born on April 11, 1975, and residing in the Fagley area, was found guilty of neglecting her pets by abandoning a mother cat and her three kittens for a period of nine days. The incident took place while McIntyre was living at Coed Onn Road, Flint, North Wales, but the consequences of her actions extended to her residence in Bradford, where she was ultimately held accountable.

McIntyre claimed that she had left her animals, including her cat Lulu and her three kittens, with food and the shower running to ensure their care while she traveled to visit her partner in Bradford. She stated her intention was only to be away for three days, but her plans changed when her partner fell ill, prompting her to stay longer. During her absence, concerned residents in the area contacted the RSPCA, expressing fears that the animals had been abandoned and were suffering.

Inspectors from the RSPCA responded promptly, visiting the property multiple times on June 28, 29, and 30, 2019. They attempted to check on the animals by inserting food through the letterbox and sealing the front door with tape to monitor if anyone was inside. Despite these efforts, it was nine days before McIntyre returned home, by which time her cat Lulu had tragically died. A post-mortem examination revealed that Lulu had no food in her system, and her death was attributed to severe malnutrition.

The three kittens, named Zoe, Orla, and Thea, were rescued by the RSPCA and are reported to be doing well now. The investigation uncovered that McIntyre, who now resides permanently in Bradford, had failed in her duty of care, leading to her pleading guilty to charges of causing unnecessary suffering and neglecting the welfare of her animals.

Prosecutor Glen Murphy, representing the RSPCA, detailed that the charity had visited the property on three consecutive days in late June 2019 to check if the animals had been fed and to see if the seal on the door had been broken. During these visits, they observed an immobile cat and three kittens, prompting them to contact housing officers to alert the tenant. When they finally managed to speak with McIntyre, she claimed she had given her ex-partner permission to enter the property and feed the cats. However, the ex-partner later stated he had severed ties with her and was unaware of her absence.

When police eventually gained access to the house, they found no food available for the animals, and the shower was still running in the wet room. The court was informed that McIntyre had been away from June 21 to June 30, 2018. Her defense lawyer, Melissa Griffiths, explained that McIntyre was suffering from mental health issues at the time, compounded by the responsibilities of caring for a 21-month-old child, a vulnerable teenager, and her sick partner. Griffiths emphasized that her client was overwhelmed and deeply ashamed of her actions.

Magistrates described the neglect as 'extreme,' noting that it caused significant suffering to the animals. As a result, McIntyre was sentenced to a 16-week custodial sentence, suspended for 18 months. She was also ordered to complete a 12-month community order involving 180 hours of unpaid work, pay costs of £622, and was banned from keeping animals for two years, a ban that expired in 2021.