A woman who allowed cats and dogs to suffer in appalling conditions at her faeces-strewn home has been given a 10-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and banned from keeping all animals for five years.
Louise Tucker was told by magistrates she had come “very close to imprisonment” after the animals – two female cats and nine adult dogs, including two Staffordshire bull terriers, five chihuahua crosses and two crossbreeds – were discovered living in squalor at the property in Butler Street, Blackpool in June 2022.
Tucker had denied causing unnecessary suffering and failing to provide the animals with a suitable environment, but changed her plea to guilty at a trial on 12 and 13 July this year.
Screenshots from a mobile phone used as evidence in the case, which was brought by the RSPCA, also showed she had been selling puppies, with one chihuahua cross being advertised for £450.
At a sentencing hearing last Wednesday (6 September), Blackpool Magistrates’ Court heard how a warrant was carried out at Butler Street on 30 June, with RSPCA inspectors, a vet, Lancashire Police and local authority officers in attendance.
The majority of the dogs were being kept inside the living room, where conditions were very poor. There was so much animal faeces on the floor that officers were unable to freely move around without stepping in it, the court was told. Much of it appeared old and mouldy and had turned white in colour indicating it had been there for several weeks.
Among the decaying faeces were trays of dog biscuits and red plastic tubs of water. This appeared to be the only food and water source for the dogs, who were being forced to eat and drink next to their own excrement. There were two crates in the room, one of which contained no bedding and the other a filthy blanket, and a number of physical injury hazards lying around, including sharp-edged tin cans.
In his witness statement, RSPCA inspector Will Lamping said: “I couldn’t see any clean place for the dogs to lie as the ground and crates were soiled with faeces, as were the sofa and chairs. The room was very dark as the curtains were closed and newspapers had been stuck across the window. The smell of ammonia inside the room was overpowering, so much so that it was difficult to breathe at times and I had to take regular breaks outside the room.”
All 11 animals were seized from Tucker by the police and taken into RSPCA care after the vet certified they were likely to suffer if their circumstances didn’t change.
On examination, the dogs were all found to have mild conjunctivitis, likely associated with the ammonia present within the living environment. A Staffordshire Bull Terrier called Bentley was also suffering from a ruptured cranial cruciate ligament of the right leg and an untreated anal mass required further investigation.
The vet said it was his opinion that Tucker had failed to meet the needs of her animals by providing them with a suitable environment. He said Bentley had been caused unnecessary pain and suffering for at least a week due to the defendant’s failure to seek appropriate veterinary advice for him.
In addition to the suspended prison sentence and five year disqualification order, magistrates also ordered Tucker to carry out 15 RAR days and pay costs of £400. In mitigation, the court heard how she had ‘taken the blame for others’ and had rehomed dogs from people who were allegedly not looking after them properly. She was described as being ‘kind’ to animals and reportedly had a clean house prior to the offences taking place.
Speaking after the conclusion of the case, inspector Lamping said: “The conditions inside the house were appalling, with the smell of ammonia making it difficult to stay inside for more than a few minutes at a time. Forcing the animals to live in squalor like this was totally unacceptable.
“We’d like to thank those who reported their concerns to the RSPCA, and to the officers from Lancashire Constabulary for their assistance and support on the day of the warrant. Thankfully all the animals made a full recovery and all but two of them – who are still waiting to be adopted – have already found loving new homes.”
Superintendent Chris Hardy, from Lancashire Police, said: “The conditions that Tucker allowed these animals to live in is completely unacceptable. I am glad that the support our officers provided helped to bring the offender to justice. I hope this sentence sends a strong message to people that do not provide the appropriate care for animals will not be tolerated, and we will take robust action against those who do.”
The RSPCA always encourages families to consider adopting instead of buying a puppy. The charity has thousands of dogs available for rehoming every year including all different breeds, ages, shapes and sizes. If you do decide to buy, take sensible precautions and use The Puppy Contract to help you find a reputable breeder and a happy and healthy dog.
