October 2018

Exeter woman left ‘skeletal’ dog to suffer

An Exeter woman who left her emaciated dog to suffer in a ‘shocking condition’ without veterinary attention has been banned from keeping animals for ten years.

Claire Hughes, 29, of Burnthouse Lane, Exeter, admitted two offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 when she appeared before magistrates in Exeter on Thursday 4 October – one of causing unnecessary suffering to Lily and another of failing to meet her needs.

Sadly Lily passed died shortly after she was found by officials.

Lily was found to be in a skeletal condition and in ill health in January 2018 by the RSPCA.

An officer from the animal welfare charity rushed Lily to a vet but sadly her condition was so serious she didn’t make it.

Alongside the ten-year disqualification from keeping animals, Hughes was given 8 weeks custody, suspended for twelve months, for each offence to run concurrently. She was also ordered to pay £250 and a £115 victim surcharge.

Full details of charges:

1. That between 22 December 2017 and 19 January 2018 at Burnthouse Lane, Exeter, you did fail to take such steps as were responsible in all the circumstances to ensure that the needs of animals of a protected animal, a dog known a Lily, were met to the extent required by good practice in that you failed to meet their needs for a suitable environment, contrary to Section 9 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

2. That between 22 December 2017 and 19 January 2018 at Burnthouse Lane, Exeter, you did cause unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, namely a dog known as Lily, and you knew or ought to have known your failure to adequately explore and address the causes of the said animal’s weight loss would have that effect or be likely to do so contrary to section 4 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.