Donington couple banned from keeping animals after causing unnecessary suffering to pet dog Esme

A couple have been disqualified from keeping all animals for seven years after their pet dog was found dead in a shed at their home.

Zac Johnson, 33, and Charlotte Johnson, 29, of Gleed Avenue, Donington, Spalding, appeared before Boston Magistrates Court on May 19 for sentencing.

They had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing of causing unnecessary suffering to a brown female English bulldog named Esme by failing to adequately investigate or address the causes of her weight loss and poor bodily condition.

They were both disqualified from keeping all animals for seven years and ordered to carry out a 12 month community order including 15 RAR (Rehabilitation Activity Requirement) day and fined £100.

Magistrates heard an RSPCA officer attended the couple’s home in March last year following reports that an underweight dog had died.

The officer was shown a shed and inside was the body of Esme, aged four, covered with a duvet. The body was removed and taken for examination by an independent vet - and a post mortem was later carried out.

The results of the post mortem found that Esme was emaciated and in a poor body condition, she had stomach ulceration with multiple plastic foreign bodies present. She also had blood clots in her small and large intestine and congestion of the liver and kidneys - she also had conjunctivitis and a bilateral eye infection.

The vet report stated: “In my opinion the owners would have been able to attend to the malnutrition and acute signs of melaena (blood in faeces) and have the dog attend a veterinary surgeon at a much earlier stage, thus allowing this dog to avoid the suffering and pain that she endured for a number of weeks.

“Symptoms of Conjunctivitis, bloody diarrhoea, emaciation and weakness would have been apparent to the owner for a number of weeks before the demise of this dog - hence they failed to provide the needs of this dog and protect her from pain, suffering, disease and neglect. They failed to provide her with an appropriate diet.

“The suffering could have been avoided if the owners had provided sufficient of an appropriate diet and sought veterinary advice for the poor body condition, the diarrhoea and conjunctivitis and not allowed her to linger and succumb to them. This in my opinion constitutes severe neglect and these owners have allowed this dog to suffer severe pain and distress culminating in her death.”

Speaking after the case Inspector Dean Astillberry said: “Esme had suffered terribly by the failure of her owners to seek veterinary attention to find out what had been causing her weight loss and it would have been clear to any responsible owner that she needed veterinary assistance.”