A dog was found starved to death in a flat with pieces of plastic food packaging in her stomach.
Joseph Alan Smith, 37, told the RSPCA his Staffordshire bull terrier Tia had been put to sleep weeks before she was found starved to death in a flat on Stanley Road in Kirkdale. The body of the canine, who was around 13 years old, was found covered in maggots and faeces by the landlord of the property, who contacted the RSPCA.
The RSPCA had visited Smith's flat months before the dog died and told him to take her to a vet because she was underweight. But the animal charity were unable to get hold of Smith on follow up visits, until he eventually lied to an officer over the phone and said Tia had been put to sleep.
