United Kingdom: Becky Carr and Anthony Collins, who allowed their five pet chipmunks 'to starve to death in squalor' banned from keeping animals for 10 years

UNITED KINGDOM -- A couple who allowed their chipmunks to die from malnutrition and kept the rest of their pets in 'horrendous' squalor have been banned from keeping animals for ten years.

The emaciated bodies of five pet chipmunks were found in cages as the RSPCA searched the filthy home of Becky Carr, 20, and her ex-partner Anthony Collins, 23, on August 9 last year.

The house was described as being in an unfit state for humans and animals by the RSPCA and was strewn with faeces and soaked with urine, with broken glass covering the floor.

Darlington Magistrates' Court heard that police were initially called to the couple's home in Ushaw Moor, County Durham after reports of a domestic incident.

However when officers arrived, they found two Staffordshire Bull Terriers, a four-month-old kitten, three Corn Snakes and one live chipmunk amongst the five dead dead ones, living in the filthy conditions.

Michael Bosomworth, prosecuting for the RSPCA, said: 'What the police found in the house was to say the least disturbing.'

RSPCA inspectors were called and the dogs, named Chico and Fizz, we found to be suffering from untreated ear infections, while Barney the kitten was underweight and had fleas and worms.

The corn snakes were also not being kept at a suitable temperature and the remaining Chipmunk had no food or water in its cage.

Mr Bosomworth said the pair had recently split up and could not agree who should look after which animal.

At an earlier hearing, the pair were found guilty in their absence of five charges of failing to ensure animal welfare and one charge of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

Michelle Gallagher, mitigating for Collins, from Hartlepool, said: 'He did try his best in very difficult circumstances but he had accepted that his best wasn't enough. Their domestic situation wasn't brilliant and they are no longer living together.'

Graham Hunsley, mitigating for Carr, from Darlington said: 'There was never any intention that animals should suffer. At the time things got to the stage they did it would be fair to say she was barely capable of looking after herself.'

Magistrates sentenced them both to 12 weeks in custody, which was suspended for 12 months and disqualified them both for keeping animals for ten years.

Carr was also ordered to complete 40 hours of unpaid work, while Collins was given a curfew.

Speaking after the case, RSPCA Inspector Clare Wilson said: 'The house was horrendous. It was not somewhere I would want animals, and I wouldn't expect humans to live somewhere like that.'

(Daily Mail - Feb 20, 2013)

Police officers saves little chipmunk

MASSACHUSETTS -- Usually when you see an article posted on WellesleyPolice.com, it’s something that is important that the department wants you to know.  Road closures, serious traffic crashes, recent home burglaries, and ongoing crime trends are all covered by our website on a regular and routine basis. However, every now and then something unusual happens that Wellesley Police Officers handle, and we like to cover those items as well.

Take for instance, the day shift on Saturday June 16, 2012. It had been somewhat steady day of calls for the officers working, including traffic stops, medical emergencies, and an ongoing domestic violence investigation.

Just after 1:30 PM a concerned United States Postal worker called the Emergency Communication Center to report a kitten was trapped in some netting on the front porch of a residence on Hundreds Road. Animal Control Officer Sue Webb was on a day off, so Wellesley Police Officer Tim Gover was sent to check out the situation.

Wellesley Police officers do not receive any special training with regards to animal complaints or calls. However, officers usually have a wealth of experience and education that they can rely on to rectify an animal complaint. Today was no different.
 
Officer Gover arrived on the scene, and explained the situation to the home owner, who had just returned to the residence. The home owner explained that they did not own a kitten, and there was no sign of anything amiss on the front porch. Officer Gover decided to look a little further into the wooded area near the house just to be sure.

After poking around, Officer Gover found a chipmunk hiding in some undergrowth. The chipmunk was struggling to crawl through the bushes, however it’s rear legs were tangled in some mesh wire netting. The netting was tightly wound through both legs and the rear end of the chipmunk. The mesh wire was also firmly entangled into the underbrush, preventing the chipmunk from moving any further. Things did not look good.
 

Undaunted, Officer Gover decided to try and cut away each small strand of the mesh wire. This task was difficult enough, but the chipmunk was not exactly thrilled about having people so close to him, and continued to try and escape.

With patience, determination, and skill, Officer Gover managed to slice away each constricting band of mesh wire, carefully avoiding cutting the chipmunk.

Within five minutes all of the wire had been cut away, and as the last strand fell away, the chipmunk was on the move, apparently unharmed. He quickly made his way back under the front porch to the house, where he made his home.

The homeowner disposed of the netting, and Officer Gover went back on patrol, ready for whatever else came his way.

(wellesleypolice.com - June 16, 2012)