Dogsey

A couple who were sentenced to 16 weeks in prison after causing unnecessary suffering to their springer spaniel, and failing to look after the welfare of their other pets, have won an appeal against the sentence. Their prison sentences were suspended for 12-months with a 12-month supervision order and they each had to pay £282 in court costs.

The RSPCA were originally alerted to the couple in August 2010 by an anonymous tip off and after a year spent trying to get inside the house, they had to call the police to help them do so. They found springer spaniel Jerry in a terrible state with hair so long and matted, it caused him difficulty in walking. They also found a Jack Russell eating out of a basket with empty drink bottles and food bowls inside and discovered a cockatiel’s cage full of mouldy faeces.

The jail sentence was originally given because of the prolonged suffering caused by the couple, Kim Cairns and David Richardson who, after being arrested, had admitted they should have had Jerry groomed but were ashamed of his condition.



Jerry had to be put too sleep.

After the appeal hearing, RSPCA inspector Helen Bestwick said: “I accept that the couple have some problems, but they chose not to get any help. The sentence was a tough one, but it reflected the seriousness of the harm done.”