Animal ban for woman who let cockerpoo suffer

A 37-year-old woman has been disqualified from keeping animals for five years after allowing her cockerpoo dog Ned to get into a horrific state.

The suffering resulted in Ned’s collapsed state, skin lesions and maggot infestation. His coat was matted and covered in urine and faeces. The dog was later put to sleep on welfare grounds.

*Warning – some of the images below are distressing

Vicki Ann Ball of Mark Avenue in Horncastle appeared before Lincoln Magistrates’ Court on Monday, March 11 for sentencing.

At a previous hearing she also pleaded guilty to one offence of causing unnecessary suffering to Ned under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Ned the cockerpoo. Photo: RSPCA

The dog’s owner was disqualified from keeping animals for five years. Photo: RSPCA

She pleaded guilty that on and before June 24, 2018 at an address on Mark Avenue she caused unnecessary suffering to a protected animal – a black, male cockerpoo – by failing to maintain the dog’s health, welfare and coat condition.

He was collapsed with open wounds that were maggot infested. Photo: RSPCA

The dog was in a collapsed state with skin lesions and maggot infestation. Photo: RSPCA

Photo: RSPCA

Photo: RSPCA

Photo: RSPCA

In interview Ball denied that Ned belonged to her. She claimed she had given him away in January, February or March last year. However, she could not prove this.

Left in a ‘shocking state’

RSPCA inspector Kate Burris said: “On June 24 Ball took Ned to a dog rescue and signed him over to them.

“The dog rescue took him to a vet, where he was found to be suffering and put to sleep immediately on welfare grounds.

“He was in a shocking state – he was collapsed with open wounds that were maggot infested. His coat was matted and covered in urine and faeces.”

Dog ‘no longer belonged to her’

In interview Ball denied that Ned belonged to her. She said she had owned him from 2013 but had given him away in January, February or March last year ‘free to a good home’ on Facebook. She couldn’t provide any evidence of this.

She said she came home on the June 24 to find him on her lawn in a mess, and after trying to wash him and cut out the matts, realised she couldn’t help him and took him to a dog rescue.

When the inspector visited the defendant’s address she observed a run at the side of the house that was being dismantled and had dog faeces in it.

A witness gave evidence that they had seen her with the dog recently and the dog was microchipped to her.

Sentencing

As well as the disqualification, Ball was sentenced to a 12-month community order with 120 hours of unpaid work.

She was also ordered to pay a £500 fine and £85 victim surcharge.

In mitigation, the court heard that she had pleaded guilty and had no previous conviction. She also found the dog difficult to look after due to family commitments and the dog’s behaviour.

Inspector Burris said: “This was one of the most distressing cases I have dealt with because of the utter lack of any emotion or empathy displayed by the owner towards this dog.”