A man who failed to seek vet treatment for his dog after she was injured in a fight with another dog has been jailed for 10 weeks.
The two-year old bulldog, called Babe, suffered extensive injuries to her head, neck and legs, but her owner, Kevin Turner, failed to act and infection developed in the puncture wounds and a badly-damaged ear, which an expert vet said the canine may have lost, but for surgery.
Turner was also handed a 10-year ban from keeping all animals following a prosecution by the RSPCA.
The defendant appeared for sentencing at North Tyneside Magistrates’ Court on October 11 after previously pleading guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the bulldog by failing to seek veterinary care as well as a charge of failing to ensure the dog’s needs were met.
RSPCA inspectors Terri-Ann Fannon and Helen Nedley paid a visit to Turner’s former home at Collingwood Road in North Shields on April 13 this year.
The defendant had spoken to inspector Nedley on the phone several days before explaining how he cleaned up Babe’s injuries, which were sustained in a fight with another dog he owned. He said he would monitor her condition and take her to the vets if there were concerns.
Deputy chief inspector Fannon said in a statement to the court that when the defendant brought Babe out of a shed she could see a large open wound on the right hand side of her ear, neck and face where the skin was hanging loose.
“It was dark so I placed my hand under her neck to lift her head up to try and see how bad the wound was and when I lifted her head puss and discharge squirted from the wound and was dripping to the floor – the wound stunk of infection,” said the inspector.
Turner claimed he was registered with the PDSA and had been planning to take the dog to see the charity’s vets the following day. But when the inspector checked the PDSA had no record of him.
As well as the injuries to her face, neck and legs, Babe was also suffering from sore skin on her stomach and the pads of her feet.
A vet said in her report: “The extent of matted hair and inflamed skin indicated the wounds had been discharging and infection developing for days with insufficient treatment.
“A reasonable person would have noticed the deteriorating state of the wounds, recognised that rinsing the wounds at home was insufficient and sought appropriate veterinary care. If Babe had not been brought in when she was then her ear would have gone necrotic and fallen off and she may even have died of septicemia.”
Babe’s damaged ear was reconstructed during surgery (pictured above) and she has since made a remarkable recovery. She was discharged to kennels the day after the operation and her wounds and skin infections then healed over several weeks.
She remains in RSPCA care and will be rehomed soon.
In mitigation, the court was told that Turner had kept dogs for many years without any issues. Magistrates also ordered that the defendant’s other dog was seized and made an award of £360 costs against him as well as a victim surcharge of £154.
Speaking after the sentencing, DCI Fannon said: “Babe’s injuries were among some of the worst I’ve seen from a dog attack and the infection she suffered was horrendous. But she has done so well at RSPCA Felledge Animal Centre, where she has made some new doggy friends.
“She was a bit anxious and nervous at first, but has turned out to be a lovely boisterous girl. She was so depressed when I first met her, but she’s like a different dog now, full of mischief and wanting treats and attention.”
