Owner of emaciated dog banned from keeping animals for 10 years

A man has been disqualified from keeping all animals for 10 years after his malnourished dog, Buddie, had to be euthanised due to his emaciated condition.

Kristopher Daniel Morgan of Brewery Court, Merthyr Tydfil, appeared at Merthyr Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday 13 December for sentencing after previously pleading guilty to one offence under the Animal Welfare Act.

The offence was that between 3 February and 4 May he caused unnecessary suffering to an American bulldog type male dog called Buddie by failing to provide proper and necessary veterinary care and attention for the causes of his weight loss and masses.

‘Found straying’

In mitigation the court heard he was very sorry for the offence.

At sentencing, Morgan was handed a 12 month community order which included 135 hours unpaid work and 20 days rehabilitation activity requirement. He was also disqualified from keeping all animals for 10 years and ordered to pay £500 costs.

The court heard that Buddie had been found straying on Brecon Road, Merthyr, and was taken to a vet by a member of the public. He was scanned for a microchip and an owner was found who attended and gave permission for him to be put to sleep in his best interests to prevent further suffering. The RSPCA were then notified of the circumstances.

RSPCA deputy chief inspector Gemma Cooper said she collected the body from the vets the following day. She said she saw “every bone in his body, he was covered in lumps and his penis was prolapsed.”

The body was seized by police for the RSPCA to continue with its investigations. The court heard that the owner – Morgan – said Buddie had been missing seven weeks due to poor fencing in his garden. Morgan also stated that he first noticed a ping pong ball sized lump seven to eight weeks previous to the right of Buddie’s neck, and since then he had been reluctant to eat and was losing weight.

‘Malnourished‘

In a vet witness statement they said in their opinion Buddie would have been suffering for longer than seven weeks.

The written statement – which was provided to the court – said: “In my opinion, it seems very unlikely that a dog of such loving nature and large stature would have been missing for seven weeks without anyone finding him and bringing him to either a veterinary practice or to the RSPCA.

“It is also clear from the conversation that I had with Mr Morgan that he did not seek or have intentions of seeking veterinary treatment for the lump, inappetance or weight loss. As a consequence, I feel Buddie was suffering whilst in this poor condition – uncomfortable when trying to sit down, weak, malnourished and regurgitating after food (likely due to the size of the lumps pressing on his food pipe).

“In my opinion, I feel this dog was suffering for longer than seven weeks, at a minimum three months but possibly longer. Veterinarian opinion should have been sought as soon as he started going off his food and losing weight, as this would have started to impact on his quality of life. Buddie should never have been left this long and by doing so Mr Morgan had failed in his duty of care to Buddie and allowed him to suffer unnecessarily.”

DCI Cooper added: “This is a very sad case, and we’re very sorry to hear that Buddie didn’t make it. We’d like to thank the member of the public who took him to the vets and the staff at the vets who gave him emergency care when he arrived.

“Sadly he had been neglected and the failure of veterinary care and attention for his condition meant that he would have been suffering for some time.”