A Rochdale woman who was banned from keeping animals after her dog suffered with a broken leg has had her appeal thrown out by a judge.
Anne Marie-Wood, from Milnrow, was handed the five-year ban after pleading guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to her Bichon Frise, Tilly, who had to be put down after Wood refused to get treatment, claiming she could not afford it.
RSPCA visit after tip-off
RSPCA inspectors visited Wood's home in December 2024 after receiving a tip-off that her dog had an injury which had not been treated. She was initially reluctant to cooperate but allowed an officer inside.
They found Tilly, who was visibly lame and hesitant to put weight on one of her front legs, the charity said. When questioned, Wood claimed the injury occurred after the dog fell while being passed through a front window.
She said she had taken Tilly to the vets and that she was given pain relief but that she could not afford the £400 to £500 needed for X-rays and further treatment. The RSPCA offered to take the dog to be examined at their Greater Manchester Animal Hospital but Wood refused to hand her over.
Vet's conclusion
When she was eventually seen by a vet, they found she was not able to put weight on her right front leg.
"They concluded treatment, such as an amputation, could not restore an acceptable quality of life due to Tilly's other orthopaedic conditions and the sad decision was made to put her to sleep to prevent further suffering," the RSPCA said.
RSPCA Deputy Chief Inspector Jess Pierce said: "Tilly was clearly struggling with mobility and was showing signs of pain when conscious. In my professional opinion the dog was suffering due to the owner's failure to provide veterinary care and pain relief as minimum.
"In the case of the elbow fracture, the owner brought Tilly for consultation two days after injury occurred. That means the dog was put through acute pain of a broken bone for two days, later got a one off anti-inflammatory injection, which brought some relief for 24 hours, although no further treatment was provided for over a month.
"Injuries like these need to be monitored. Pain relief and regular veterinary checks need to be provided by the owner to maintain comfort for the dog. During both private veterinary visits, the owner was advised to return for re-check or further investigations, although that was not done."
Sentence and appeal
Wood, of St James Street, Milnrow, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and was handed an 18-month prison sentence, suspended for a year, at Tameside Magistrates Court on July 31.
She was also ordered to complete a ten-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement, a nine-month drug rehabilitation programme and was banned from keeping animals for five years.
Wood appealed the ban at a hearing at Manchester Crown Court on September 30, where it was thrown out. A judge also rejected her attempt to have a deprivation order overturned in relation to another dog, who was not subject to any charges.
