A woman has been banned from keeping all animals for five years – after her dog was found in an unsuitable environment suffering from a number of health issues.
Ashlie Wilkinson, 34, of Barnes Crescent, Skegness, was accused of failing to meet the needs of an American bulldog called Missy by failing to provide her with a suitable environment including providing her with a suitable diet and fresh drinking water along.
Missy was found to have a a severe flea infestation, joint stiffness and hind limb weakness, and a skin condition. She was later put down prevent further suffering.
Wilkinson was found guilty in her absence an an earlier hearing but appeared before Boston Magistrates’ Court on March 5 for sentencing.
She was banned from keeping all animals for five years and given a 12 month community order – which included a six month Alcohol Treatment Requirement and 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and pay £600 costs.
The court heard the RSPCA had been contacted due to concerns over the dog.
RSPCA Inspector Laura Jones attended and said there was an overwhelming smell of excrement and that the living room was in a terrible state with upturned and broken furniture and a wet floor as a result of a recent flood in the flat.
She said the entire flat was unkempt, there was visible excrement in every room apart from the bedroom. No food or water were found for the dog.
Inspector Jones said that laying on the flat screen television was a very overweight tan and white dog, she wouldn’t get up or move. Her coat was crawling in live fleas, these were easily visible in the white fur, the fur on her back was black with obvious flea dirt, so much it discoloured her white fur.
The dog had a high tide mark across her body of filth, excrement , the excrement contaminated water from the flood. Her claws were very long , almost touching the pads. The tear stain marks coming from the corner of her eyes looked to be red liquid.
Missy was seized by the police and placed in the care of the RSPCA. She had to be stretchered out of the building and had to be lifted into the RSPCA van before she was taken to a private boarding facility and examined by a vet.
The vet who examined Missy said she was very obese and an extreme flea infestation with a huge amount of flea dirt and many live fleas she had a “tide mark” of red staining on her hair and skin where water/urine met the flea dirt (flea dirt being digested blood excreted by the fleas) in her coat.
She had conjunctivitis affecting both eyes and multiple skin tags- small skin growths and she was very stiff. Missy struggled to stand and could not walk more than five to 10 metres before collapsing.
The vet said in their report: “In my opinion the needs of the dog were not being met and there were significant failings in this dog’s care. This dog had not seen a veterinary surgeon to investigate their obvious obesity, arthritis, flea infestation, skin infection or eye condition.
“I estimate that Missy had not been fed adequately or had any flea or other veterinary treatment for at least three months, probably much longer and the failing to meet her welfare needs has undoubtedly caused her unnecessary suffering.”
Sadly due to her health issues Missy was put to sleep to prevent her suffering further.
Speaking after the case Inspector Jones said: “The environment Missy had been in was completely unacceptable .She was found lying on an upturned TV and was unable to stand. The flat had been trashed ,it smelt of excrement which was covering the hallway floor and stairs .
“I had never seen such a bad flea infestation on a dog and it was heartbreaking to see her in this condition.
“I am thankful that her remaining days were spent with her being comfortable surrounded by love and care and no longer in pain.
“Pet owners have a responsibility for their animals and it would have been clear to any responsible owner that Missy’s needs were not being met and that she needed veterinary assistance.”
In mitigation the court heard the defendant was suffering from addiction and her mental health and that it had been incompetent but not deliberate cruelty.
