A Staffordshire bull terrier died after its owner left it in her back garden with just a bowl of dog biscuits while she went on holiday, a court heard.

Claire Autie, aged 30, left her dog Babe outside her Dudley home for more than two days until it was discovered collapsed by a neighbour.

The dog died of a heart attack induced by two infections.

Dudley magistrates heard yesterday the dog had an infected wound.

Autie, of Larkspur Road, pleaded guilty to a charge of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and not taking steps to ensure the animal’s needs were met.

Autie, who still owns two puppies, will be sentenced next month. Magistrates warned Autie she could face a banning order stopping her from keeping animals.

Mr Nick Sutton, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, told the court Autie had asked a neighbour if she could look after the dog while she went on holiday on August 28 last year.

The neighbour was also going away but offered to look after the animal from August 30, he said.

He said the neighbour believed someone else would look after the animal in the overlapping two days, but the defendant had not found anyone. When the neighbour returned on August 30 the dog was found collapsed with a stomach wound.

Mr Jeremy Vahey, defending Autie, said: “She had relied on her neighbour to come back early from her holiday but she knows she should not have done this.”

Bench chairman Mr Walker adjourned the case for reports. Autie was given unconditional bail to return to court on March 18.