Woman kept starving bull terriers

This puppy was discovered severely undernourished in the flat

A teenager who kept starving puppies in a cage of excrement has been warned she could be banned from keeping pets.

Police raided Gemma Muir's council flat in Alloa, Clackmannanshire, after a tip off from neighbours in October.

They found dog faeces on the floor of the hall and living room and three Staffordshire Bull Terrier pups whimpering in the cage in the corner.

Stirling Sheriff Court was told that the spines and rib cages of the three-month old dogs were showing.

The court heard they came from a litter of nine and Muir sold their six siblings for £120 to £160 each.

While officers were at the flat, a woman turned up and offered to buy two of the remaining pups for £500.

Trevor Smith, prosecuting, said despite the sums of money involved, Muir claimed she had "struggled" to feed the puppies.

They were taken to a local vet, who found they were severely emaciated and underweight.

I have to make a decision as to whether this was badness or fecklessness, and I am persuaded it was fecklessness. Sheriff John Rafferty

The pups were taken into care and later re-homed by officials from the Scottish SPCA.

Muir, 19, of Pine Grove, Alloa, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the puppies.

Her lawyer said she had taken advice from various people about what and how to feed the puppies and they were improving at the time they were seen by police.

Sheriff John Rafferty called for an Scottish SPCA report on the condition of Muir's remaining dogs and any other animals in her care.

He said: "If the puppies were better at the time they were seen by the police, they must have been worse before.

"But I have to make a decision as to whether this was badness or fecklessness, and I am persuaded it was fecklessness."

Deferring sentence until 29 July for the preparation of the animal inspector's report, Sheriff Rafferty said he was considering imposing a ban on Muir keeping any pets.