A couple from Glasgow have been banned from keeping animals for six years after investigators discovered their pets were severely malnourished and underdeveloped. Chantelle Crossan, 24, and Liam McLachlan, 23, of Mount Vernon, admitted failing to look after the two dogs last month at Glasgow Sheriff Court.
Last week, Crossan and McLachlan were respectively handed 80 and 120 hours of community service while the pair were each handed a six-year pet ban.
The charges related to a three-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier named Kenzo and a cane corso cross called Tyson, who was just five months old at the time. Inspectors from the Scottish SPCA have welcomed the conviction, which came 16 months after the charity was first notified of concerns via its animal helpline.
Neighbours reported sounds akin to "dogs fighting" on January 30 last year, prompting investigators to appear on the pair's doorstep demanding to see the animals. The visit came just a week after the Scottish SPCA tried to visit the house on a separate complaint.
Inside, the horrified animal welfare officers found that Kenzo was so underweight that her spine and hips were visible. Tyson's ribs were also visible and he was showing serious signs of malnutrition.
Scottish SPCA chief inspector Laura McIntyre said: “On January 30, we were met at the door by a woman who identified herself as Chantelle Crossan. We could see straight away that both dogs were in poor condition. Kenzo was underweight, with her hips and spine visible.
"Tyson was emaciated, with all ribs clearly visible, as well as his hip bones and spine being very prominent underneath his fur. His skin also appeared to be in poor condition and was very dry and flaky, with some hair loss around his legs and face.
"We asked for some further details regarding the dogs, including their ages, and whether they were under any veterinary treatment. They stated that Kenzo was approximately three years old and that Tyson was approximately five months old. It was stated that neither dog was under veterinary treatment."
Inspectors told the pair that the dogs were being removed due to concerns for their welfare, and because the pups required "immediate veterinary attention". While Kenzo had no underlying conditions relating to her poor treatment, vets found that Tyson had little muscle in his legs, hair loss and signs of under-development.
Chief Inspector McIntyre added: "Due to the absence of any injuries or obvious underlying conditions, the vet’s opinion was that this low body condition was due to chronic underfeeding and negligence. The dogs further had their welfare compromised by the failure to seek veterinary treatment to find out if there was an underlying reason for their poor condition.
“The vet estimated it would have taken a period of at least three months for the dogs to come to be in this condition. This has been exacerbated in the case of Tyson as he was such a young puppy and would have needed extra nutrition to maintain condition and to develop appropriately.
"The long term effects of malnutrition at this stage may still impact him in the future. We are pleased that both Crossan and McLachlan have been banned from owning or keeping animals but, given the level of neglect, we would have liked it to be for a longer period of time."
Anyone with concerns about the welfare of an animal can call the Scottish SPCA's confidential helpline on 03000 999 999.
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