Dorothy Harland, 58, was a founding member of the Emergency Animal Rescue Service (EARS) in Ripon, North Yorkshire.
But as she spent her days urging people to take in neglected animals, her own were left suffering in a decrepit house.
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| Dorothy Harland |
The conditions were so horrendous that officers who eventually discovered the hovel could not stay inside for more than a minute without gas masks.
Harland, who pleaded guilty to five counts of animal neglect at Harrogate Magistrate's Court, has been barred from keeping animals for ten years and ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.
As police opened the door to the property in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, Charlie, a German Shepherd mix leaped out and started running around in circles.
Bruno, a 16-year-old mix breed, also tried to escape but was too weak to walk and kept falling over. Medical tests revealed he had suffered a stroke days before police found them, and vets were forced to put him down.
When RSPCA inspectors arrived later, they discovered a third dog, a Saluki named Jack who was kept in a rusty cage too small to stand in. There was no food or water in sight.
Four cats - Murphy, Molly, Polly and Dolly - were also found among the garbage, feces, urine, and broken furniture.
RSPCA workers said it was the worst house they had inspecting in 20 years.
'It was disgusting, it really was,' said RSPCA inspector Dave Holgate. 'Someone who works with an animal charity should really know better. Somebody working with animals knows what is right and what is wrong, and that is wrong.'
PC Raheel Akram told the RSPCA in a memo: 'It was astonishing the level of dirt and I had never seen a premises in such an appalling state.'
Prosecuting on Wednesday, Andrew Davidson said: 'The conditions had built up over a significant period of time. She allowed her attachment to her animals as pets to come before their need to have proper living conditions.'
The court heard that Harland, who pleaded guilty to five counts of animal neglect, was suffering from depression and had been living in the appalling conditions alongside her animals.
Defending Nick Woodhouse said: 'She doesn't have close family or friends so no-one visited the house.
'Her animals seem to have been a crutch for her, she says animals are her reason for getting up in the morning.'
Magistrates were told that any disqualification order would prevent Harland from continuing her work with EARS, a charity which has rescued over 130 dogs.
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| Animal abuser Dorothy Harland, on the right |
Hey Margaret, shut your pie hole. It's partially your fault that this happened. Why didn't you go over to her house and check to ensure she wasn't hoarding animals? Why don't you focus on the victims instead of lying and saying she did such a great job at the rescue?
That's like saying "Yeah ok he's a child sex offender and all, but he did a REALLY GREAT JOB at the daycare he worked at!"
Chief Magistrate Michael Poole told Harland: 'From your charity work you were aware that your care was seriously lacking. The RSPCA say it is one of the worst they have seen in years and they were appalled by the state of yours and the animals living accommodation.'
He added that Harland cannot apply to the court for the ten-year ban to be removed for at least five years.
Placed under a 12 month supervision order, she was also ordered to pay £200 of the £4,000 the RSPCA have spent on bringing the case the court, along with a £60 surcharge.
Jack, Charlie and all four cats have since been rehomed.
Paws for thought for dog rescue Emergency Animal Rescue Support (EARS) kennels revamp
A new block of kennels is set to boost the lives of canines awaiting loving homes at a dog rescue centre in West Tanfield.
Emergency Animal Rescue Support (EARS), which is run entirely by volunteers, helps dogs from across the district find new homes and foster families – and is now hoping its new kennel revamp can create a permanent base for the dogs.
“The expansion will allow us to be more hands on with the dogs,” founder Dorothy Harland told the Gazette.
“We have a lovely bunch of dogs here but we are desperate for them to find new homes and foster carers.”
As part of the rescue centre’s refurbishment, six new kennels and an office area have been built – which Dorothy said will “give us a permanent base and enhance the lives of our dogs waiting for new homes”.
“We will be able to spend more time interacting and training our dogs, which will give them a better chance of finding their forever homes,” she said.
(Daily Mail - May 8, 2014)
