A St Bernard breeder who pleaded guilty to neglecting 99 dogs was today sent to prison for 18 weeks.
Mary
Ellen Collis, 51, of Denby Lane, Wakefield was also banned from keeping
animals for 10 years by Wellingborough Magistrates. The charges related
to causing unnecessary suffering to 85 St Bernard dogs and failing to
meet the welfare needs of another 14.
The RSPCA was alerted
to the condition of the dogs by concerned members of the public.
Inspectors attended Wardana kennels on Stanion Road in Brigstock along
with police and a veterinary surgeon at the end of November 2008.
The
dogs, aged between nine weeks to eight years of age, were being kept in
kennels which were covered in urine and faeces. There was no food or
water available for them. Their coats were filthy and matted with
faeces. Nine puppies were kept in a separate pen with no food or water.
The pen was cold and the heat lamps provided were not working due to a
lack of electricity. Thirteen dogs were found in the kitchen of the
house connected with the kennels.
Eighty-five of the St
Bernards were suffering from medical problems such as abscesses,
ulcerated skin and eye conditions and ear infections which had not been
treated. Many were emaciated. Three of the puppies were very thin and
their ribs were visible.
One dog was unable to stand and was
suffering from dehydration. She had several open sores on her legs and
feet caused by pressure and urine scalds. Another was in such a poor
condition that the vet had to put the dog to sleep at the scene to
prevent him from suffering further.
Another dog died
overnight after suffering a heart attack at the veterinary surgery. He
was thin, covered in faeces and was suffering from severe dehydration.
Another had severely ulcerated eyes, which had not been treated and
caused blindness.
Vets concluded that most of the dogs had suffered from neglect for several weeks or months.
In
sentencing, the chair of magistrates, Dr Pugsley, said: “As a
trained veterinary nurse you should have known what was
required.”
In mitigation, Collis said that she had
been breeding the dogs for about 30 years and had not encountered any
significant problems before. Her solicitor said that she had been
hiding from the circumstances surrounding her bankruptcy and that she
had not intentionally neglected the dogs.
RSPCA inspector
Clint Davies said: “Whilst there was no deliberate cruelty here,
these dogs had been left in such a poor state that others may have died
had we not been alerted. Many were in pain and suffering just because
they had not received veterinary treatment and food.
“I am confident that the sentence will protect future animals from a similar fate.
“Thanks
to the hard work of vets, our inspectors, officers and animal centres,
new homes have now been found for all of the dogs. This could not have
been done without the support of the public across the country who have
once again helped us to provide a lifeline for animals in desperate
need.”
what a f**king bitch going on holiday to Tenerife while her dogs still suffered