Couple banned from keeping pets for three years after their pet dog was left to die in agony

A couple have been banned from keeping dogs for three years after their pet Staffordshire Bull Terrier was left to die in agony over at least a 30-hour period.

Sharon Parry (Dob 15/02/1971) and Mark Louth (Dob 18/12/1971), of Claughton Avenue, Crewe, both pleaded guilty to a charge of causing unnecessary suffering to their 11-year-old pet called Mitzy when they appeared at Crewe Magistrates’ Court.

The court was told the RSPCA were called to investigate after they received a report about concerns over the death of Mitzy whose body was buried in the garden.

Animal rescuer, Inspector Pamela Bird was sent to their address on June 6 and was told that the dog had died on June 3 - having had no previous illnesses - and she was buried under a mound in the back garden which was partially covered by a wheelbarrow.

She applied for an exhumation order and returned to the property a few days later to retrieve Mitzy’s body so she could be examined by a vet.

A post mortem later found that Mitzy had died due to an untreated serious condition called pyometra - which is a very serious infection of the womb - causing nausea, pain and collapse.

During interviews both Parry and Louth admitted the dog had been ill in the days leading up to her death and two days before she was vomiting and in a collapsed state. But they did not take her for veterinary treatment.

A vet who examined Mitzy said she believes the poor pet would have been in pain for at least 30 hours leading up to her death but more likely a period of up to 96 hours. 

She said: “It is my opinion that Mitzy was allowed to suffer due to the failure of her owner to present her for veterinary care for the investigation and treatment of a closed pyometra.

“This suffering is characterised by feelings of nausea, abdominal pain, weakness and debilitation leading to collapse and death.

“The duration of this suffering will be a minimum of 30 hours but is more likely to be for a period of 72 to 96 hours.”

Pamela said: “There is never any excuse to not take a pet for veterinary treatment and in this case it was very obvious that Mitzy was in a suffering state for such a long period of time.”

At the hearing, on December 23, magistrates banned the couple from keeping dogs for three years. They were also given a two-year conditional discharge and were ordered to pay costs of £250 each and a £25 victim surcharge each.

A seizure order was also made in respect of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppy in their possession who will now be found a new home by the RSPCA.

The offence they pleaded guilty to:

• “That between June 1, 2020 and June 4, 2020 at Claughton Avenue, Crewe, Cheshire, you did cause unnecessary suffering to a certain animal namely a Staffordshire bull terrier type bitch known as Mitzy by failing to provide veterinary treatment in respect of a closed pyometra affecting the dog and which caused the animal nausea, abdominal pain, weakness and debilitation leading to collapse and death and you knew or ought reasonably to have known that your failure to act would have that effect or be likely to do so, contrary to Section 4 (1) of the Animal Welfare Act 2006”.