A dog was left without veterinary treatment for weeks or even months despite being covered with ‘countless’ scabs and having teeth so rotten she couldn’t eat.
Pippa, a West Highland white terrier, died on her way to be examined after the couple who owned her finally called the RSPCA.
David Littlefare, 25, and his ex-girlfriend Olivia Watson, 22, have now admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal and they will be sentenced in March.
Littlefare told police it happened because he was on a low income, but admitted that he could have done more for her.
He admitted digging a hole in his Yorkshire garden to bury Pippa.
The dog’s awful condition was reported to the authorities after he called the RSPCA himself to ask them to put the dog down because she was so ill.
The volunteer arrived and found the dog was ‘was weak, covered in scabs and with rotting teeth – but still breathing’.
She died on her way to the town’s branch of the RSPCA.
Littlefare and Watson, both of Goole, appeared at Hull Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
Ms Louise Freeman, prosecuting, said the condition of Pippa was ‘distressing’ to the RSPCA volunteer, who noticed ‘clotting around the dog’s back end, the ears had black substance in and around it, the dog was thin and smelled as though something was off’.
Ms Freeman said: ‘She was visibly underweight, her spine, ribs and hipbone were protruding. Her fur was in extremely poor condition and there was obvious loss of fur on her back end.
‘She had numerous sores which had been scabbed over, scabs were black and yellow. There was also a substantial amount of compact faeces under her tail. She had fleas on her head and body and fleas were seen crawling on the blanket.’
Pippa’s body was taken to the vets, who found evidence of dehydration and self-trauma caused by the flea infestation. The dog also had severe dental issues that made it difficult for her to eat.
The vets also said it was hard to determine cause of death due to her condition but that she was likely to be reluctant to eat because of the pain suffered.
Ms Freeman added: ‘A responsible owner should have sought veterinary advice, but not doing so, it contributed to the dog suffering.’
The court heard that Littlefare had owned the dog but brought Pippa along with him when he moved into Watson’s home.
Watson had taken Pippa to the vet a few times but felt it was Littlefare’s responsibility to look after her.
The magistrates felt that a pre-sentence report was needed from the probation service before a sentence could be issued and so adjourned the case.
Littlefare will appear in court again on Tuesday, March 15 and Watson will appear on Wednesday, March 23.
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