SARAH THACKERY IS BANNED FROM KEEPING ANIMALS FOR 10 YEARS AFTER ABANDONING HER DOG
A woman has been banned from keeping animals after abandoning her dog inside a squalid house.Kirklees Magistrates heard the distressed Rottweiler was found living amongst its own filth with no food or water.
It had only a dirty duvet to sleep on in the Longwood property left in a disgusting state strewn with rubbish.
The pet’s owner Sarah Thackery had pleaded guilty to two charges under the Animal Welfare Act of failing to ensure the needs of the dog were met.
She claimed that she loved her pet, which she had adopted from Spain, but had been under “extreme stress” at the time.
Police and RSPCA inspectors rescued the abandoned pet from the Greenhill Road house after the landlord expressed concern about him.
There was no sign of Thackery during several visits and on March 12 the pet was found sitting on a diarrhoea and urine stained duvet.
His nails were overgrown, the room was filled with clutter and the rest of the house was was filthy.
Andrew Davidson, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, said: “There was a horrendous smell.
There were mounds of rubbish, overflowing bin bags and there was no food or water for the dog.
“The curtains had been chewed and there was a thick layer of hair covering the carpets which had not been cleaned for some time.” The dog has since been rehomed and Thackery, now of Woodhead Close in Sheepridge, was convicted of the offences in her absence at a previous hearing.
Rachel Sharp, mitigating, said that her client had been under huge stress at the time of the offences.
She had endured health problems and been sacked from her job following an allegation of misconduct for which she was arrested although no further action was taken.
Mrs Sharp said: “She was under extreme stress.
In March she began staying at a friend’s house.
“She would go back to check on the dog but accepts that the environment was not suitable”.
“She’s struggled to cope with everything thrown at her and she’s been under a lot of stress.” Magistrates banned Thackery from keeping animals for 10 years.
She was given a two-year conditional discharge but must pay £250 towards the charity’s prosecution costs.
