Two pet owners from Bolton have been banned from keeping dogs after their German Shepherd was left to suffer with a tumour. John Cochran, 32, and Kerry Harwood, 41, failed to get veterinary care for their elderly female dog Copper despite her screaming in pain and being so unwell she had to be put down.
RSPCA inspection
An RSPCA inspector attended an address on Moss Bank Way in Bolton, where the pair were living, in August last year following a tip-off. They found Copper shut into the kitchen of the property. She had a large 'pendulous' mammary tumour, the medical term for a swinging tumour.
RSPCA Inspector Jess Pierce said: “I could see a large tumour hanging from her abdomen and [there was] a strong smell which smelled like rotting flesh and infection. The tumour appeared ulcerated as it was very red and swollen and leaking fluid in different areas.”
Court sentencing
Inspector Pierce said Harwood told her that ‘she knew something needed to be done about the dog’ and said she knew that Copper needed to be put to sleep. Cochran, who also lived at the address and who the charity said was responsible for Copper, was out at the time of the visit.
The inspector took Copper to the RSPCA's Greater Manchester Animal Hospital and said she 'screamed before the vet had even placed his hand near the lump on her abdomen.' Vets concluded that putting her to sleep was 'the most humane option.'
Cochran, of Chorley New Road, and Harwood, of Moss Bank Way, were prosecuted and both pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
They were both disqualified from owning and keeping dogs for a period of three years when they appeared at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates Court for sentence last Tuesday (September 1). They were also ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and do 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days, as part of a 12 month community order. They must also pay £925.30 in costs and a £114 victim surcharge.
Investigator's statement
In a statement issued following the sentencing, Inspector Deborah Beats, who carried out the investigation, said: “This was such an upsetting case to investigate as poor Copper had been let down so badly by her two owners.
"It was unquestionable that Copper was in pain and suffering from the extremely large tumour, yet her owners did not provide her with appropriate veterinary care.
“It’s so essential that pet owners seek prompt treatment for their animals, and whilst we appreciate some can struggle to afford veterinary costs, there is help available and we all have a responsibility to make sure our animals are properly cared for.”
