A pet owner let his dog's claws get so overgrown he struggled to walk and had to be put to sleep because of the pain caused, a court heard. Ian Podmore, 41, let his Staffordshire Bull Terrier Bentley's claws become so overgrown they became painfully embedded in his pads.
The six-year-old pooch was also suffering from a bilateral ear infection and a chronic skin disease which had caused extensive fur loss and scabs from head to toe. Despite extensive treatment, Bentley's condition was so severe that he had to be put to sleep to prevent further suffering.
At a sentencing hearing on February 28, RSPCA inspector Vicki McDonald said she visited Podmore's home after the charity was contacted about concerns for Bentley’s welfare. Inspector McDonald told Blackburn Magistrates Court that Bentley's claws 'were the worst' she had seen in her '20 year career.'
