Man who failed to feed dog is banned
A man from Wolverhampton who failed to feed his girlfriend's pedigree dog for at least two months has been banned from keeping animals for five years.
A man from Wolverhampton who failed to feed his girlfriend's pedigree dog for at least two months has been banned from keeping animals for five years.
The tan-coloured bull mastiff was found severely emaciated at the Bilston home of 20-year-old Niketia Fearon, the city's magistrates court heard.
The animal, called General, had lost more than a third of its body weight and its bones were protruding through its skin according to RSPCA inspectors who called at the Lunt Road address in March on a tip-off.
The court heard the dog was so dehydrated it had to go on a drip and was suffering from depression.
In a report about the case, RSPCA inspector Jayne Bashford said she was "appalled" by the appearance of the animal.
Lukasz Paluszjiwicz, of Old Hall Street, Wolverhampton, last month denied two charges of causing unnecessary suffering to the dog but failed to turn up to his trial yesterday.
The 24-year-old, who was living with Fearon at the time, was found guilty in his absence and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
District Judge Michael Wilkinson said Paluszjiwicz had been the only member of the household to show any remorse at the dog's condition and had initially made a full admission.
But he had wasted the court's time by pleading not guilty and failing to turn up for the trial.
He was also ordered to pay £500 towards the prosecution costs, fined £50 for failing to appear and placed under a 6pm-6am curfew for the next four weeks.
The judge added: "The only small crumb of comfort is that the dog did not die."
Fearon, aged 20, and her brother Aaron, 19, of Lunt Road, Bilston, admitted the same two charges. She was banned from keeping animals for 18 years and told to pay £750 costs, while her brother received a 10-year ban with £250 costs.
Their mother Paula Bowen, aged 39, of the same address, believed to be the owner of the dog, faces similar charges. The magistrates were told the animal had since regained its health and been rehomed.
Meanwhile the RSPCA has launched an investigation after a swan and a pigeon were killed in two savage attacks in Walsall and Wolverhampton.
The pigeon was found in Aldridge with a metal arrow through its body while the swan was shot with an airgun in the neck in Bilston.
RSPCA officials say they believe the wild birds were used for shooting practice and have revealed both would have suffered "painful" deaths.
When RSPCA officers arrived at the scene the swan was very ill with a severe injury to its eye. It died after it was discovered it had been shot in the neck.
