Birmingham woman who kept underweight dog in faeces-strewn yard is banned from keeping animals for 10 years
A Birmingham woman has been disqualified for 10 years from keeping any animal after failing to protect her two dogs from pain or suffering.
Debbie Ayub, 45 and of Kingsland Road, Birmingham, was also sentenced to an 18-month community order, including 15 days of rehabilitation activity and 12 sessions of mental health treatment, after admitting Animal Welfare Act offences.
She was also ordered to pay costs of £100 and a Victim Surcharge of £114.
The sentencing took place at Birmingham Magistrates Court last Thursday, September 11.
In February the RSPCA visited Ayub’s address to carry out welfare checks on dogs at the premises, having received reports of concern about the animals.
The officer was shown a Presa Canario called Shadow, who was living in a faeces-strewn run in the back yard. He was lame, the tip of his tail was almost detached and he was underweight.
Ayub signed Shadow over to the RSPCA, but when they returned to Ayub’s home, the officer found a pug inside named Roxy, who had significant health issues.
Roxy’s owner consented to the charity taking her to be examined by a vet and treated at Birmingham Animal Hospital.
RSPCA inspector Vicki Taylor said: “[On my first visit] Ayub showed us to the back garden of the property through the side gate. In the garden there was a dilapidated dog run which had faeces all over. There was one dog, a black Presa Canario type dog called Shadow... tied up inside a kennel with no bedding.”
Inspector Taylor said Shadow was “reluctant to stand up and was very quiet".
The vet reported that Shadow had a very low body condition score of just two out of nine (underweight), he had a severe tail tip injury, he was lame on his swollen, back left leg, his coat was very dirty and foul-smelling and he was very hungry and thirsty when offered food and water during the veterinary examination.
Shadow was treated with pain relief, antibiotics, anti-parasite medication, and was vaccinated. His tail was later amputated and after initially struggling to gain weight, is now doing well.
Roxy was given pain relief and was vaccinated and treated for parasites. She responded well to this treatment.
The vet found that Ayub had failed to protect either dog from pain, suffering and injury.
She also failed to provide an appropriate environment and diet for Shadow.
The dog had no dry, comfortable sleeping area and both the outside run and sheltered sleeping area were soiled with mud, urine and faeces. There was no food for him, and the external fencing presented a clear risk with multiple sharp points and edges.
In mitigation, the defendant fully co-operated with an early guilty plea, and accepted she should have done more [to protect her pets].
After sentencing, Inspector Taylor said: “It is a pet owner’s legal responsibility to properly look after any animal in their care. These two poor dogs suffered unnecessarily, because their owner Ayub failed to seek veterinary treatment at all for Shadow, nor fed him adequately, and hadn’t revisited a vet for an inappropriately long time.
“For those with concerns about the health of their pet, please check our online advice about finding a vet.”
