The owner of a white dog found living with "crusty" infected eyes and fur soiled with faeces has been given a life ban from keeping animals.
'Rebel' the Staffordshire bull terrier was found by the RSPCA with eyes that were "crusted closed" and legs covered "what looked like faeces". Further examinations by a vet found that Rebel was in a very anxious and agitated state; was underweight, had eye and ear infections as well as itchy, inflamed skin and a sore on his ribcage.
Examinations also confirmed that his skin and coat were soiled with faeces, he had overgrown nails and he was lame from a previous injury to his left forelimb. The vet immediately started treatment to relieve his suffering, including pain relief and antibiotics.
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And now owner Stuart Eunson has received a life ban from keeping animals after pleading guilty to breaching a previous 10-year disqualification and neglecting a Staffie, which he was handed in 2020 after he breached a three year ban from 2018.
The 41-year-old, of Lucock Street, South Shields was also sentenced to an 18 month Community Order, 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 19 ‘Thinking Skills’ sessions at South Tyneside Magistrates Court on 1 March.
Eunson's latest breach of a disqualification from keeping animals involved a dog named ‘Rebel’, who, according vets say suffered from neglect due to the defendant’s failure to seek treatment for the dog’s painful eye, ear and skin conditions along with other ailments.
The vet concluded that the lameness following the injury to the left forelimb; the itchiness; the eyelid changes and the head shaking and ear rubbing along with the unsettled behaviour would have been a cause of distress to the animal and should have alerted the owner to Rebel’s poor health. It was the vet’s opinion that by failing to protect his dog from pain, suffering, injury and disease - which would have included seeking vet care for the dog - Eunson allowed Rebel to unnecessarily suffer.
RSPCA inspector Rowena Proctor said: "Not only did Eunson disobey court-imposed bans on keeping animals, but during this most recent incident, while it was still illegal for him to have a dog, he was keeping and clearly neglecting 'Rebel', a young Staffie in his care.
"When I visited Eunson's home in July 2022 following reports he was keeping an animal despite his ban, the defendant appeared at the door holding a white Staffordshire bull terrier which he handed over to me. The poor dog's eyes were crusted closed, he smelled terrible and despite having a white coat, his legs were dark brown with what looked like faeces.
"Eunson confirmed that he understood that he was banned from keeping animals and while he allowed me to take the Staffie - called Rebel - to the vet, he refused to acknowledge the dog was his or to sign him over."
For advice on looking after a pet, please visit the RSPCA’s website. To report concerns about the welfare of an animal, please contact the RSPCA’s helpline on 0300 1234 999.
To help the RSPCA continue rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming animals in desperate need of care please visit the charity's website or call the donation line on 0300 123 8181.
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