A woman abandoned her dog and let him starve to death inside a disgusting house after she moved into another property with her new partner.
Carrie Hansford forced her pet Staffordshire Bull Terrier to suffer for ‘at least six weeks’ in vile conditions surrounded by mountains of rubbish and his own waste.
Even after the 43-year-old went back to the house and found her dog of 10 years Rocky dead in the kitchen, she didn’t alert the authorities.
Instead, she just left his body to rot and returned to her partner’s home, a court heard.
When a dog warden eventually obtained a warrant to break into Hansford’s house in Southampton, he found Rocky’s ‘emaciated’ and insect-riddled remains.
Sarah Wheadon, prosecuting, told Southampton Magistrates’ Court the warden was hit with an ‘overwhelming smell’ upon entry and thought somebody had died.
The warden discovered Rocky’s body on December 17, 2022, surrounded by cobwebs and said he had ‘been dead for a long time’.
Ms Wheadon said: ‘Rocky weighed 6.75kg when he was found and his collar was four times too big for him.
‘He was emaciated through starvation. His owner stopped providing for him and he was in an unsuitable environment. Rocky’s claws were overgrown and there were insect larvae in his fur.
‘It was found that he was subject to pain and headaches, fear, distress, and anxiety from not being able to escape for at least six weeks or longer.
‘This is a case of prolonged neglect and deliberate disregard for the welfare of an animal.’
There was no evidence of food or water for the dog in the house but Hansford insisted Rocky ‘never went without’.
The dog owner pleaded guilty to two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
Representing Hansford, David Adams described her actions as ‘very serious’, adding: ‘Guilty pleas are the correct ones in this case.
‘This is clearly a serious matter. She is a lady of good character and has no previous convictions.’
Chair of the magistrates’ Anne Toomer ordered a pre-sentence report to be prepared and for Hansford to return to the court on April 19.
Reacting to the horrific incident, a spokesperson for the RSPCA – which brought the case to court – said: ‘Animals are completely reliant on their owners to ensure their needs are met.
‘Providing food, water and a suitable living environment are essential elements of that care.
‘The vet report highlighted that he had been caused to suffer via a number of mechanisms: through weakness, fatigue and general malaise as a consequence of starvation and disorientation, thirst and pain as a consequence of dehydration.
‘The vet also concluded he would have experienced fear, distress, despair and anxiety because of the prolonged repeated social isolation in an unsuitable environment.’
Last year, four bulldogs had to be put down after their owners kept them in ‘appalling’ conditions.
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