A man left his dog's tumour untreated, leading to her becoming severely underweight and needing to be put down.
The Staffie, named Princess, had a lump on her belly, which was 6.4cm in diameter, as well as a large mass on her groin. She was lethargic and severely underweight with her ribs and pelvic bones protruding, while she was also suffering from a flea infestation.
Her owner, Anthony Rae, 29, had not sought vet treatment and it was not until a concerned neighbour intervened that Princes received medical treatment. The RSPCA was contacted and the elderly white and brown crossbreed was taken to the Greater Manchester Animal Hospital on June 15, 2022.
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However, Princess' condition deteriorated overnight and it was decided that the kindest thing to do was to put her to sleep and end her suffering.
Rae, of Belmont Road, Anfield, appeared before Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on September 22 and admitted one offence of causing unnecessary suffering to the dog under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. He received a five-year ban from keeping animals and was ordered to abide by a curfew from 7pm to 7am for eight weeks, as well as having to pay a victim surcharge of £95 and costs of £500.
Animal rescue officer Katie Glenn, who was handed the dog by the neighbour at his home, said in her witness statement: “The dog was extremely thin, very weak and lethargic. She didn’t even lift her head when I approached her. I could see she was visibly salivating and I could see a large lump to her belly.”
The court heard that Princess scored two out of nine on a body condition test, which indicated she was severely underweight. The vet said in her report that she felt a hard, large mass when she palpated the dog’s abdomen. A scan confirmed the tumour lay within the dog’s gastrointestinal system and measured around 6.4cm, while there was a second visible mass measuring 15cm within her groin area
The vet stated: “The dog was likely to have been suffering for a prolonged period and had an extremely poor quality of life. In my opinion she will have suffered for many days and likely longer. The low body weight will have taken many days or possibly weeks to have developed.”
RSPCA inspector Anthony Joynes made contact with Rae, who had not been at his flat at the time his dog was taken for medical help. The defendant, the court heard, had told the inspector he was aware the dog had a tumour, but claimed “vets had said they could do nothing” and that he had offered her food “every single day, but she wouldn’t touch it”.
Speaking after the hearing, inspector Joynes said: “The poor dog was in a bad way and it was an end-of-life situation, which might not have been the case had the owner had her condition investigated earlier. She was left for many weeks when he knew she was deteriorating. There were symptoms of ill health that he should have acted upon and he would also have qualified for treatment at a PDSA veterinary clinic."
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