A dog owner has been given a suspended prison sentence due to the state of his overweight pets – one of which was found to weigh the same as a 31lb commercial bag of kibble.
William Johns was unable to provide a balanced diet for his two Jack Russell terriers, which caused their weight to balloon over time.
Cai and Lily were found “grossly” obese by animal rescue officers.
Ethan Griffin from the RSPCA visited Johns’ home in Lime Court, Swansea, and was left shocked when he spotted Cai collapsed and covered in urine stains.
Johns agreed to have the animal rushed to the vet, who discovered that he had heart failure and was very poorly.
The difficult decision was made to put Cai down, while officers later returned to the home to retrieve Lily and take her into care.
Gemma Cooper from the RSPCA said: “When I went to take her (Lily) from the police officer, it was difficult to hold her like a normal dog as her torso was just so rounded and solid.
“In my fifteen years as an RSPCA Inspector, I have never seen a dog so overweight.”
The vet scored Lily’s body condition as nine out of nine – she was out of breath for the entirety of her visit to the clinic.
They said: “She weighed 14.2kg (31.3lb) and the level of obesity was one of the worst I have seen.
“She had difficulty moving around and by keeping a dog in this abnormal state, the owner failed in their duty of care to provide a suitable diet and control their pet’s weight.
“The dog suffered for a prolonged period of at least a month if not longer.”
William Johns pleaded guilty to two offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and appeared for sentencing at Swansea Magistrates’ Court.
He also received an eight-month custodial sentence, which was suspended for two years.
The court heard how the defendant was unable to properly care for the animals due to a number of health issues, which included suffering from Parkinson’s and reduced mobility after having had his leg amputated.
At the hearing on 22 Jun, Johns was ordered to pay £400 in court costs and a victim surcharge of £187.
He has also been banned from keeping animals for the next 15 years, as reported by Need To Know.
Ethan originally visited the home on 24 September.
Since being taken in by the RSPCA, Lily has been put on a suitable diet and has already shifted over 2kg (4.4lb).
The charity is now looking to rehome her.
Gemma added: “These poor dogs were allowed to balloon in weight by the defendant’s inability to provide a balanced diet for them.
“One of them became so ill that he had to be put to sleep and had we not returned to the property, the second dog may also have become seriously unwell.”
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