Boston man handed an animal ban following RSPCA investigation
Wayne Robinson, 54, pleaded guilty to offences against a dog
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A man from Boston has been banned from keeping all animals for 10 years and given a suspended prison sentence in a prosecution brought by the RSPCA.
Wayne Robinson, 54, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a French Bulldog called Mini by failing to investigate and address the causes of her poor body condition.
He was sentenced to a 20 week prison sentence suspended for 12 months and ordered to carry out 15 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement Days and £150 costs.
He was also banned from keeping all animals for 10 years.
" Extremely underweight "
In October last year the charity received an allegation about a deceased dog and RSPCA Inspector Deborah Scotcher attended the location.
Robinson told the inspector that the dog had died that morning. He initially said the dog had been buried but then later stated the body had been put in a bin because the soil was too hard to bury her.
Inspector Scotcher said:
“I observed a deceased black and white female French Bulldog. I could immediately see without even placing my hands on the dog that she was extremely underweight with her bones protruding through her fur.
"I did touch Mini and her ribs, hips and backbone were very easily felt with little or no body fat present. I did not pull back any fur or touch her any further as she was wet and smelt strongly of urine.”
The defendant gave the inspector permission to take the dog for an examination.
"There was clearly insufficient nutrition"
A post mortem was carried out and concluded there was no evidence of disease that could explain the dog’s condition.
The findings strongly suggested the dog experienced a prolonged period of severe malnutrition and starved to death.
While the dog had food in her stomach when she died, this may have led to “refeeding syndrome” where a large meal after prolonged starvation becomes fatal. The dog also suffered from painful bleeding gastric ulcers likely caused by metabolic stress and malnutrition.
The vet said in their report:
“There was clearly insufficient nutrition provided to this dog for a numerous days or weeks, and the malnutrition resulted in her death. There was no evidence of seeking veterinary opinion to investigate her weight loss or assistance to prevent her reaching a critical condition.”
Speaking after the case Inspector Scotcher said:
“The suffering Mini would have endured was entirely unnecessary and the result of a failure to provide even the most basic standard of care. Owning an animal is a significant responsibility, and her owner should have got her veterinary attention when she began to lose weight.”