A couple who left their ‘sweet’ dog for a year with a large infected tumour have both been banned from keeping animals for five years.
Lee Gannon and Tracey Cook failed to get veterinary treatment for Scratch, an 11-year-old golden retriever. The RSPCA said an inspector who visited their home in Oldham in January this year was told by Cook that he was ‘mainly’ fed on sausages.
“There was a strong smell coming from him, it was like rotten flesh and was the worst smell I’ve ever experienced on a live animal,” said Inspector Jess Pierce.
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Gannon, 53, and Cook, 57, of Kenwood Road, Oldham, both pleaded guilty to four offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 relating to Scratch’s care. At a sentencing hearing at Tameside Magistrates Court, they were disqualified from keeping any animal for five years and ordered to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work each.
Scratch, whose weight had plummeted, was found in the kitchen at the couple’s home.
The RSPCA said Inspector Pierce said in her written evidence: “There was no soft bedding or blanket for the dog to lie on and I could immediately see he was very underweight. Even through his thick coat I could tell the outline of his ribs and hip bones. The floor inside the enclosed area had a puzzle feeder, which was empty, and a bowl with a small amount of water in it. There was also a noticeable tumour hanging from his neck. I could see it appeared infected.”
The RSPCA said the court heard Cook told the officer the tumour had been present for about a year and that they had taken Scratch to a vet, but couldn’t afford £1,000 for the treatment. She said they got antibiotics, which didn’t work, and the mass kept growing, added the charity.
Sadly, Scratch was put to sleep to end his suffering. Speaking after the case Inspector Pierce said: “This case was particularly hard to deal with for me because of Scratch’s nature. He was so sweet and forgiving, all he wanted was to be stroked and cuddled, which I did for him at the end. He was badly let down by the people who should have been caring for him.”
