United Kingdom: Dogs found 'emitting a foul stench of decaying flesh' after being left muzzled and tied to trees in a shocking case of animal cruelty - as their owner James Connelly is fined just $8,000

UNITED KINGDOM -- The owner of dogs who were found with plastic tied around their muzzles so tight it cut open their snouts has been fined $8000.

RSPCA New South Wales received a cruelty complaint last year after concerned neighbours raised the alarm to the housing conditions of dogs, some of which were forced to live among their own faeces, on a Woodford Island home, in New South Wales' northeast.

James Patrick Connelly pleaded guilty to four charges of animal cruelty in relation to four Border Collie dogs in Grafton Local Court on Monday.

Connelly was fined $8000 - $2000 for each of the four offences of failing to provide veterinary treatment for his dogs.

As part of the investigation, 13 dogs were surrendered to the RSPCA and rehomed.

An inspector attended Connelly's property on October 2 last year and found several dogs tied to trees next to the house.

After inspecting the dogs he found many of the dogs had a thick plastic strap around their muzzles, leaving them unable to open their mouths to bark, eat or drink normally. The muzzles had also cut into the dogs' snouts, leaving open wounds.

Four of the dogs, Border Collies, had embedded straps which had left raw, open wounds. The inspector noted 'all of these injuries were emitting a foul stench of decaying flesh'.

 

The inspector seized the four injured dogs for immediate veterinary care

The RSPCA officer then inspected sheds on a paddock across the road from the property and discovered more dogs tied to poles and enclosed in cages, surrounded by piles of feces and urine.

Few dogs had access to clean water some had few or no teeth from trying to eat while muzzled.

(Daily mail - July 12, 2016)