Five-year pet ban on starving dog's owner

A mother from Cannock Chase who failed to feed her family's pet dog properly has been banned from keeping animals for five years by magistrates.

Georgina Smith, of Hednesford Road, Heath Hayes, lied to RSPCA investigators by claiming that her emaciated pet was a stray when in fact she had been looking after the dog since it was a puppy eight years earlier.

Max was struggling to stand, his muscle mass had almost wasted away and his bones were clearly visible by the time Smith called in the animal charity herself.

At Stafford Magistrates Court yesterday Smith, aged 34, admitted failing in her duty to provide an adequate diet to an animal in her care.

She denied a charge of causing unnecessary suffering and the RSPCA, who brought a private prosecution against the mother-of-two, withdrew the charge.

Smith told the RSPCA that her sons had brought Max home, but investigations revealed a neighbour had given her the lurcher-type puppy eight years earlier.

Prosecuting for the RSPCA, Roger Price said that in just 27 days of normal feeding Max gained 4.9kg (10.8lb).

Stephen Rudge, defending, said Smith, formerly of High Street, Norton Canes, was due to have her home repossessed and was facing severe financial hardship.

"She is ashamed of the situations she finds herself in."

Magistrate Derek Loweth conditionally discharged Smith for 12 months, banned her from keeping animals for five years, and ordered her to pay £1,000 costs to the RSPCA.