A woman from Birkenhead neglected her XL Bully dog so badly that vets couldn’t identify his breed.
Carys Scott, 31, appeared at Wirral Magistrates’ Court having plead guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
Scott said that the dog, named Marlow, was her ex-partners pet, who was dumped on her doorstep in February after being previously rehomed for biting a family member.
The owner claimed she fed the dog, but that he could not walk, stay standing or drink. She admitted she chose not to take Marlow to the vet due to the ban on XL Bully dogs and her financial situation.
The dog struggled to walk and drink
Friends of Birkenhead Council Kennels Facebook
She also said she tried to contact the PDSA for help but failed.
The RSPCA first became aware of the case in March after a woman claimed she had found him dumped in a park.
However, after further investigation, RSPCA Inspector Anthony Joynes later discovered the woman was actually a friend of Scott.
Marlow was rushed to urgent veterinary care where he was given a body condition score just one out of nine.
The pet was neglected so badly that his weight was half of what it should have been, and he could barely walk or drink.
His ears were inflamed and vets found pressure sores on his wrists, ankles and hips from lying down for a long time.
Sam Simpson of the Friends of Birkenhead Council Kennels posted photos of the suffering pup on Facebook and wrote: “He was in an awful state. He couldn’t stand.
“He was wrapped in a quilt cover and the person was carrying him in. We treated him as a stray and we had no reason to question it.
Scott was sentenced at Wirral Magistrates Court
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“He was completely emaciated. It was the worst I’ve ever seen, and we have seen some bad things here. His nails were overgrown. He was just 17.4kg when he should have been about 40kg, so that’s a big difference.”
Devastatingly, Marlow had to be put down just four days after he was brought in.
Despite his suffering, Simpson said the dog was a “happy boy” until the end, and his tail was wagging even though he could not stand.
Scott was given a £194 pound fine and a 12 months community order. She has been banned from owning animals for 10 years.
