Man sentenced after dog found tied to tree with disease

Nation.Cymru staff

A man from south Wales has been handed a suspended sentence and has been disqualified from keeping animals for 10 years after his dog suffered unnecessarily with skin disease.

David Allen Murphy, from Carmarthen, attended Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Friday July 24 for sentencing.

He had pleaded guilty to one offence under the Animal Welfare Act, causing unnecessary suffering to a Collie-cross German Shepherd dog called Cora by failing to adequately investigate and address her skin disease.

He was sentenced to 18 weeks custody which was suspended for 18 months and was ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work and 25 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days. Murphy was also ordered to pay £600 in costs and a £150 victim surcharge.

In a written statement provided to the court from RSPCA Inspector Keith Hogben, he said that Cora was taken to a vets by the police after being found tied to a tree on December 27 last year. He said the dog had an obvious skin condition and had been seen with a man known as David Murphy shortly before she was found.

He added that he had been showed photos that showed “bald patches” on her before she was shaved and put on medication at the vets. Cora was then handed into the care of the RSPCA.

Suffering 

A written statement from a vet, who analysed the pictures and case, said that Cora’s veterinary history stated that the “elderly dog was very itchy with severe skin disease with moist dermatitis scabbed over on both flanks, chronic skin changes around her ears, and on the top of the body was a very itchy area with fur loss and very thickened skin indicating a long standing issue. She also was found to have multiple masses over her body mostly in the mammary area.”

The vet said it would have taken Cora a “number of weeks to months to reach the condition that she was found in with the chronic changes found over her body and will have suffered unnecessarily for that entire time, not only physically with the irritation and the scabbing changes within the skin but also mental due to the inability to resolve that constant irritation over a prolonged period”.

He added that failing to seek veterinary attention for an obvious health issue the owner has failed in their duty of care leaving the dog suffering unnecessarily.

In mitigation it was heard that David Murphy loved the dog and had drug issues.

Following sentencing, Inspector Hogben said: “Every animal deserves to be treated with kindness and respect and if you have a pet you are responsible for making sure they are happy and healthy. We would urge anyone struggling to seek help.”

The RSPCA say that Cora’s skin has recovered well, and she is currently receiving ongoing care with Hope Rescue in Llanharan.

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