Yet incredibly, this is just one of two homes in Hull where owners kept defenseless animals in appalling conditions.
The pets were found starving to death, suffering from infections and ravaged by skin conditions triggered by 'one of the worst' environments inspectors had ever seen.
Several dogs had lost their fur, with one was in so much distress that it had chewed off its own tail.
Michael Clifford Harness and Shaun Parkin, both from Hull, have been prosecuted by the RSPCA in two separate neglect cases.
Inspectors at the charity were aghast at the vile state of the homes where the animals had been forced to live.
Parkin, 53, has now been banned from keeping animals for life after neglecting his six dogs, a cat, a parrot and a cockatoo.
Harness, 43, received a five-year ban for neglecting his two dogs and a ferret.
They were both handed suspended prison sentences following hearings at Hull Magistrates’ court.
Images released by the charity show the extent of the filth, with flea infestations in almost every room, carpets caked in blood and urine, floors covered in dirty, shredded newspapers and bottles of urine on a bedroom floor.
Inspectors visited Parkin’s home in September, when they found dogs locked in rooms with no access to food or water, an emaciated cat and two birds.
RSPCA inspector Hannah Bryer said: 'Inside, the house was absolutely filthy. There was a stench of urine and there was clutter everywhere.
'The living environment was completely unsuitable for the animals. It was dirty, with little ventilation and it was absolutely infested with fleas.
'It smelt of urine, and there was excrement all over the floor.
'The police officer who was with me at the time was actually gagging at the smell... it just made your eyes water.
'I actually came out of the house with flea bites all over my legs. It was definitely one of the worst houses I have ever seen. This one was particularly shocking because of the sheer number of animals that were in there.'
Two of the dogs, Yorkshire terriers Toby and Trixie, had severe skin conditions and were missing most of their fur.
Roxy, a Staffordshire bull terrier, had to have her tail amputated because she had chewed through it, leaving the bone exposed.
A black Labrador called Sheba and another Staffordshire bull terrier with no name were found locked in the kitchen with no food or water. The terrier had an eye infection caused by the stench of urine.
Two birds, an African grey parrot called Oscar and a lemon-crested cockatoo called Henry, were found in a dirty cage in the living room with no water.
Upstairs, a terrier called Tommy was found locked in a bedroom with no food or water.
Presiding magistrate John Dealtry described it as an 'appalling account of prolonged neglect of a number of animals'.
All of the animals have now recovered and have been rehomed.
Miss Bryer said: 'All of the dogs needed extensive treatment, including Roxy having to have her tail amputated. The cat has now put on weight.
'This house was completely unsuitable for animals and there were more serious matters. Roxy had clearly chewed through her tail and she should have been taken to the vets.'
Inspectors also visited Harness’s home in October, where they found a cross-breed called Bella, a terrier cross-breed named Chico and a ferret called Snoops.
The dogs had been allowed to chew through chairs in the living room, exposing the metal springs.
Carpets throughout the house were soaked in urine and excrement and live fleas buzzed around the rooms.
Miss Bryer, who was called to the properties after tip-offs from council workers and members of the public, said: 'The most shocking thing I found there was a white ferret which had been stained yellow by the filth it was in.
'It was being kept in the dirtiest hutch I had ever seen and hadn't been cleaned out for the entire time Mr Harness had the animal.
'The living conditions were wholly unsuitable. There was no bedding material for the dogs.
'The floor was damp, there was a strong smell of ammonia and excrement littered the floor. The dogs had no food or water.'
RSPCA rescuers later filmed the dogs receiving their first drink of water to show their raging thirst.
Parkin admitted three charges of failing to provide a suitable environment for the animals, three charges of causing unnecessary suffering to animals and two charges of failing to ensure their needs were met.
Harness pleaded guilty to failing to provide a suitable environment, failing to provide a suitable diet and failing to protect the animals from pain, injury, suffering and disease.
Both men were given 12-week prison sentences, suspended for 12 months.
(Daily Mail - Feb 5, 2013)
