Pamela Morrissey was only caught after her dog Taggy, a West Highland Terrier, escaped and was spotted wandering in the street by a passer-by.
He was taken to a vet where he was found to have an untreated eye condition which had led to an ulcer on his cornea.
He also had an ear condition, unclipped claws which had begun growing into his flesh, and was crawling with fleas.
The vet found he was covered in scabs and was suffering from alopecia because of the skin condition.
Morrissey appeared before Southend Magistrates’ Court where she pleaded guilty to four counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
She also pleaded guilty to not preventing Taggy from pain and suffering by not giving him effective flea treatment.
Elizabeth Connolly, mitigating, said Morrissey had inherited the dog after her mother died in 2009 and couldn’t afford to pay for treatment.
She had tried to treat it herself with Sudacrem and by bathing him on a weekly basis. The court heard Morrissey was now likely to lose her job.
Speaking after the hearing, RSPCA Inspector Matt Gough said: “The animal was effectively permenantly disfigured as a result of what could have been quite easily prevented. “
Taggy later died of an un-related stroke.
Morrissey, 45, was living in Vaughan Avenue, Southend, at the time of the incident but has since moved to North Avenue. T
The court made the order specific to dogs so that Morrissey’s son, who lives with her, could keep his two cats. Morrissey was also ordered to pay the RSPCA costs of £1634, a £60 victim surcharge, and complete a 12 month community order with 200 hours unpaid work.
(Southend Standard - March 25, 2013)
