RSPCA inspector describes 'chaos and disarray' as they entered property
Four dogs and seven cats were rescued from his property
A Holsworthy man, who neglected dogs and cats in his care, has been banned from keeping animals for ten years.
Ross Skilton, 53, of Bridge Park, Bridgerule, pleaded guilty to an animal welfare offence, following a prosecution by the RSPCA.
Torridge District Council initially received a complaint from a member of the public who had purchased a puppy from Skilton.
The buyer raised concerns about the puppy's health, reporting that it was underweight, infested with fleas and worms. They also expressed concerns about the conditions at the property.
Due to the severity of the concerns raised, the council executed a search warrant at the Bridge Park property in January 2025. Officers from the RSPCA attended together with council officials, a vet and police.
An RSPCA spokesperson said: "The property was filthy throughout with two distressed dogs contained in the kitchen, two more dogs outside, plus seven cats inside the property. There was no water available for the animals. One kitten was very poorly with diarrhoea, and had been left in pain for more than weeks due to gastrointestinal disease."
RSPCA Inspector Rebecca Wadey, who investigated for the animal welfare charity, described what she saw when she entered the property in her report to the court: “I was immediately struck by the strong smell of faeces, urine and ammonia and the house appeared to be in a state of chaos and disarray.
“As soon as we opened the kitchen door we were met by the sound of a very distressed dog barking in fear. It was a young spaniel dog and he had backed itself as far as he could go in the corner of the kitchen, up against a pile of tyres. He would not come anywhere near us and if we tried to get close he would scream in fear.
“The kitchen was also filthy with dog faeces present on the kitchen work surface. There was an upturned sofa in the middle of the floor as well as other debris.
“On closer inspection, we found a second dog which had wedged itself under a kitchen unit. When I looked all I could see were the back feet and the front left foot. It was so frightened it would not come out. There was no water available for the dogs.
“My colleague put some water down on the floor and the dog was so desperate for water it came out to drink. The dog was another spaniel type and appeared slightly underweight.
There were various bengal type cats seen around the house, going up and down the stairs, and in and out of various rooms.
“In the rear garden were two more dogs, an older liver and white spaniel type and a black and tan terrier cross type. They were loose in the garden and had an outhouse for shelter. The floor of the outhouse was covered in full rubbish bags and junk and there was no proper sleeping area for the dogs.”
The seven cats and four dogs were transported for a vet check.
The vet, who examined the seven cats and four dogs, said in their report: “I can’t reiterate enough how wholly unsuitable the environment was for anything or anybody living at these premises.
“It was my opinion that the animals basic needs were not being met and that their welfare was compromised living in their current situation. I advised all the animals be removed on welfare grounds.”
Alongside the ten year animal disqualification order, which he can not appeal for seven years, he was also sentenced to a 12 month community order with 120 hour unpaid work and a mental health treatment requirement. He was also ordered to pay £400 costs and a £114 victim surcharge when he was sentenced at Barnstaple On May 1.
The animals were rehomed by the RSPCA.