Three dogs put down after being found in 'dreadful' conditions
A woman who kept injured dogs in a home that smelled of urine and faeces has been banned from owning animals. The RSPCA prosecuted Michelle Batty after three of her dogs were found suffering with foot and leg lesions at her Lancashire home. They were in such poor health that a vet decided the kindest course of action was to put them to sleep.
Batty, of Robinson Street, Preston, appeared for sentencing after pleading guilty to four animal welfare offences at Preston Magistrates’ Court on July 15. As well as the disqualification she was made subject to a 12-month community order which requires her to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and undertake 10 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR) days, reports LancsLive.
Conditions at the property
RSPCA Deputy Chief Inspector Kelly Nix went to the defendant’s property on October 6 last year when the police were in attendance. The defendant was keeping four dogs in a very poor environment. French bulldogs Buddy and Finn were struggling to walk and their nails had curled around into their foot pads. The back toes of a spaniel called Tilly were bleeding and oozing.
In a statement the officer said: "I was immediately hit by the smell of urine and faeces at the property. Buddy’s legs were bent backwards and his nails were overgrown with some curling around into his pads. I tried to encourage him to walk, but he was wobbly and his legs were dragging. Finn was also struggling to walk and I could see all his nails had curled over into his pads causing open wounds, while Tilly had open sores on her back toes."
Lack of veterinary care
Batty told the officer that she had not taken the dogs to a vet. All four were seized and taken to the RSPCA Greater Manchester Animal Hospital. A vet who examined the canines said that Buddy could not walk on his back legs as he was suffering from a degenerative spinal condition and his nails were overgrown and penetrating his skin which would have left him in pain for at least two weeks. The spinal condition meant the prognosis for Buddy was poor as he had severely reduced mobility and was unable to control his bladder.
Finn was very lame and he was suffering from pain for at least a week because of an infected wound from an overgrown nail. His behavioural problems also meant he struggled to adapt to life in kennels after he was removed from the property. Tilly had suffered for at least two weeks due to pain caused by the chronic infected wounds at the end of the toes of her back legs. Her toes were missing nails and parts of the toe bones. All the issues meant she would have suffered ongoing pain and had a poor quality of life. Because of the poor prognosis for them, Buddy, Finn and Tilly were put to sleep.
The vet added: "All four dogs also did not have their needs met as the property in which they were living was filthy with faeces and urine-covered floors."
Sentence and aftermath
The court heard that Batty was said to be remorseful for her actions and that she had no previous convictions. She also signed the dogs over to the RSPCA. She was told to pay a victim surcharge of £144. Lesley was later discharged from the hospital and she has spent time in RSPCA-approved accommodation and will now be rehomed.
Speaking after the sentencing, Deputy Chief Inspector Nix said: "These poor dogs were left without veterinary care in dreadful conditions at the defendant’s property. Some of them already had health issues and the failure to take care of them and address the filth and squalor they were living in made matters worse."
