Preston woman prosecuted after three neglected dogs had to be put to sleep
“I was immediately hit by the smell of urine and faeces at the property.”
A Preston woman has been banned from keeping animals for six years after the RSPCA found four dogs living in filthy, faeces-ridden conditions at her home, with three so unwell they had to be put to sleep.
Michelle Batty, 48, was prosecuted by the RSPCA after three of the four dogs were found suffering from foot and leg lesions at her home.
Batty, of Robinson Street, Preston, appeared for sentencing after pleading guilty to four animal welfare offences at Preston Magistrates’ Court on July 15.
As well as the disqualification she was made subject to a 12-month community order which requires her to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and undertake 10 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR) days.
During a visit to the defendant’s property, RSPCA Deputy Chief Inspector Kelly Nix and police found French bulldogs Buddy and Finn struggling to walk due to their nails curling into their foot pads, while the back toes of a spaniel called Tilly were bleeding and oozing.
In a statement the officer said: “I was immediately hit by the smell of urine and faeces at the property. Buddy’s legs were bent backwards and his nails were overgrown with some curling around into his pads. I tried to encourage him to walk, but he was wobbly and his legs were dragging.
“Finn was struggling to walk and I could see all his nails had curled over into his pads causing open wounds, while Tilly had open sores on her back toes.”
Another dog found at the property, a cocker spaniel called Lesley, was in relatively good health.
Batty told the officer that she had not taken the dogs to a vet. All four were seized and taken to the RSPCA Greater Manchester Animal Hospital.
A vet who examined the dogs said that Buddy could not walk on his back legs as he was suffering from a degenerative spinal condition and his nails were overgrown and penetrating his skin which would have left him in pain for at least two weeks.
The spinal condition meant the prognosis for Buddy was poor as he had severely reduced mobility and was unable to control his bladder.
Finn was very lame and he was believed to be suffering from pain for at least a week due to an infected wound from an overgrown nail.
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Tilly had suffered for at least two weeks due to pain caused by the chronic infected wounds at the end of the toes of her back legs. Her toes were missing nails and parts of the toe bones.
Because of the severity of their health problems, ongoing pain and poor quality of life, Buddy, Finn and Tilly were all put to sleep.
The vet added: “All four dogs also did not have their needs met as the property in which they were living was filthy with faeces and urine-covered floors.”
The court heard that Batty was remorseful for her actions and that she had no previous convictions.
She was told to pay a victim surcharge of £144 and signed the dogs over to the RSPCA.
Cocker spaniel, Lesley, was later discharged from the hospital and will be rehomed.
Speaking after the sentencing, Deputy Chief Inspector Nix said: “These poor dogs were left without veterinary care in dreadful conditions at the defendant’s property. Some of them already had health issues and the failure to take care of them and address the filth and squalor they were living in made matters worse.”