Pet owner jailed over starved dog

A man has been jailed for allowing his pet dog to starve to death.

Hurban Rabbitts, 43, from Shepton Mallet, Somerset, was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison for failing to treat an illness which led to his pet's death.

Two-year-old collie Guinness was found dead by RSPCA inspectors on 26 January inside a black bin bag at his home.

Vet Louise Cawley told Frome magistrates Guinness starved to death because Rabbitts failed to treat an infection the dog was suffering from.

Pain and hunger

The dog weighed just 7.75kg. A healthy collie of his age should have weighed between 17 and 20kg, the court heard.

The RSPCA said during the two-month period it took for Guinness to deteriorate from a healthy animal until his eventual death, he would have experienced pain, hunger, coughing and shortness of breath.

It is dreadful that any animal should suffer unnecessarily, especially when it is a result of that animal's owners failing to provide them with the most basic of care Joanne Daniel, RSPCA

Rabbitts and his wife Deborah, 39, pleaded guilty to a charge of causing unnecessary suffering to a dog.

Rabbitts was also charged £200 costs and banned from keeping animals for five years.

His wife was given a 12-month community service order and also banned from keeping animals for five years.

RSPCA inspector Joanne Daniel, who found the dog's body at the Rabbitts' home, said: "The defence argued that his clients did not intend for their animal to suffer, but it would have been obvious to anyone the dog was very underweight and was in urgent need of veterinary attention.

"It is dreadful that any animal should suffer unnecessarily, especially when it is a result of that animal's owners failing to provide them with the most basic of care."