Woman who let dog suffer given 15-year animal ban

A woman has been banned from keeping animals for 15 years after leaving her dog to suffer in a skeletal state.

Colleen Rathbone, 32, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to her Staffordshire bull terrier, Mo, at Birmingham Magistrates' Court on 16 December.

The 13-year-old dog was taken to a vet after collapsing in Ms Rathbone's garden in Willenhall on 7 March 2024.

In their report, the vet said the poor body condition and emaciation were likely due to malnutrition, bad food intake, or disease.

"This level of emaciation and muscle wastage would have been a gradual development and taken at least 12 to 16 weeks to develop," it said.

The vet euthanised her on welfare grounds but contacted the RSPCA with concerns that Mo had suffered from prolonged neglect.

Mo's body weighed 10kg (22.04Ib), which was less compared to when microchipped. The bull terrier had originally weighed 18.5kg (40.8lb).

Dark matted discharge was found around the dog's anus, but Ms Rathbone claimed it was due to "dragging the dog along the garden after she collapsed".

The court heard how the dog had been losing weight for a considerable amount of time.

RSPCA Inspector Fiona Howell said when Mo was deteriorating "no veterinary advice had been sought; instead she was left to suffer without the care she clearly needed".

Alongside the animal ban, Ms Rathbone was also sentenced to four months' custody, suspended for 12 months, after pleading guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.

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