Chadwell Heath man given court order for neglecting and under-feeding ‘emaciated’ dog
Brandy the dog was emaciated when RSPCA officers found her. Picture: RSPCA - Credit: Archant
After at least six weeks of neglect, a dog was left in a “severely emaciated” condition in Chadwell Heath with its bones protruding.
Zachary Campbell, of Mayfield Road, was sentenced on Thursday at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court after being found guilty of two offences of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.
Inspectors from the RSCPA went to Campbell’s house on December 19 last year following a call from a member of the public who said that the dog was seriously underweight.
They found Campbell’s four-year-old female dog, Brandy, in an emaciated state and kept in a metal training cage.
Prosecutor Mark Jones said: “The dog was underweight to an extreme extent. The bones were visible including the hips, ribs and spine.”
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When questioned, Campbell showed proof the dog had been vaccinated earlier that year but had not been back to the vet since.
After the RSPCA took care for the dog, a specialist veterinary surgeon said Brandy’s condition was “severely emaciated” and she had sustained liver damage.
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Mr Jones continued: “The vet identified that for these reasons the dog had suffered unnecessarily for at least six weeks.
“At this stage the dog weighed 15.8 kilos (2st 7lb).”
Because the dog was identified as a pitbull-type terrier, the court ordered for it to be put down in February.
Campbell noticed the loss of body weight, the prosecution said, but he believed it to be a problem with worms and had bought treatment for it.
The unemployed 29-year-old had money problems but he claimed he had been feeding and exercising the dog.
His defence lawyer Miss Ironside said: “He did genuinely care for the dog. It was not intentional.”
Campbell was given a three-month community order and was restricted from keeping animals for five years.
RSPCA inspector Virginia Ross said: “Brandy must have been tortured by the fact that she could not get enough to eat.
”Anyone who owns a dog has a duty of care towards that animal, which includes making sure that they have an adequate diet.”
