A woman who subjected her pets to a ‘serious level of neglect’ has been given a suspended eight-week prison sentence and banned from keeping animals for a decade following an RSPCA prosecution.
A dog and four cats were discovered living amongst rubbish, faeces and mouldy food in conditions that were described as ‘unfit for humans or animals’ after their owner Susan Russell (DoB 18.03.83), had ignored a warning by the RSPCA to clean the property up.
Shadow, a black and tan Chihuahua type dog, was also suffering from widespread skin disease which had caused him to lose his fur in multiple areas, and all the cats had flea infestations.
At a sentencing hearing on 13 August, Sheffield Magistrates said the neglect had been of a ‘prolonged nature’ and that Russell was not fit to keep animals for ‘the foreseeable future.’
The court was told that RSPCA Inspectors Vanessa Reid and Kim Greaves had gone to the first floor flat in Mather Walk on 4 May last year to check that Russell had complied with an improvement notice that had been issued earlier by the charity.
In her written evidence to the court Inspector Reid said: “I could see the curtains to the property were filthy, and the balcony was still full of belongings and rubbish so I suspected little improvements had been made.
“I contacted housing officers for an update from them, however there was no response from them either. On 5 May, myself and Inspector Greaves returned to Mather Walk and were given entry to the block by a neighbour. The property was a complete mess with rubbish, faeces, belongings, mouldy food and containers all strewn across the entire area.”
Russell was not at the flat and other people who were there at the time refused to allow the animals to be taken for veterinary care so a warrant was subsequently carried out with the police the following month.
This time Russell was present and it was explained to her that her pets were being removed because she had failed to heed warnings to clean up the environment they were living in.
The court was told that the smell was so bad that one of the police officers said he couldn’t stay inside as it was making him nauseous.
All the animals were taken to a local veterinary practice by Inspector Reid and were examined by a vet. He viewed photos taken of conditions inside the flat and confirmed there had been a failure by the owner to meet their needs. He also confirmed that it was his opinion that Shadow had been caused to suffer unnecessarily through Russell’s failure to treat his widespread skin disease.
In his written evidence to the court the vet said: “The environment was absolutely unfit for the habitation of cats and dogs, clearly exposing them to danger and squalor, with no signs of adequate nor appropriate enrichment being provided.
“The level and nature of the soiling makes it clear that this has been going on for an extended period of time.
“Shadow had widespread skin disease – including alopecia of his ears, armpit, belly, hindlimbs and towards the back of his tail, as well as notable erythema. He had flea dirt over his skin and through his remaining coat and he was markedly pruritic, scratching regularly at himself throughout the consultation.”
“It would have been obvious to any reasonable owner that the environment they were kept in was not fit for housing animals and compromised their welfare by being a danger to them and failing to provide a safe and adequate setting for them.”
In mitigation, Russell’s solicitor said the photographs submitted in the case showed a property which was unsuitable for human habitation, let alone animals. He said it was clear that something had gone ‘catastrophically wrong’, and Russell accepted that she was responsible for the prevailing conditions found by the RSPCA.
The court was told she was suffering from poor mental health and ‘complex’ health conditions and was therefore deserving of sympathy as a result of her very difficult personal circumstances. She had also been served a notice by the council to clean the property and had done so.
Magistrates indicated that, in their view, the offences had passed the custody threshold because of the prolonged nature and serious level of neglect evidenced in the case and that Russell was not a ‘fit and proper person to keep animals for the foreseeable future’.
They imposed an eight-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and a ten-year ban on keeping animals which cannot be contested for five years.
Russell was also given a suspended sentence order, to include 15 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement Days, and ordered to pay costs of £400 and a victim surcharge of £154.
The animals were cared for at the RSPCA’s Leeds, Wakefield & District and Doncaster, Rotherham & District Branches. They can now be rehomed after Russell agreed to sign them over into the charity’s care at the sentencing hearing.
Speaking after the case Inspector Reid said: “The conditions at the flat were appalling and clearly unfit for both humans and animals to be living in, yet the owner failed to heed warnings and take action. We’re pleased these animals are no longer in that environment and can now look forward to starting afresh in new homes.”
