A man from Thornton Heath was given a suspended jail sentence and banned from keeping animals for 10 years after being convicted under the Animal Welfare Act after a prosecution brought by the RSPCA.
An XL bully called Raynor was in an emaciated condition and considerable pain and distress, caused by severe ear disease, when owner Nicholas Johnston took her to a PDSA clinic in Croydon in February last year.
The issue around the dog’s ears appeared to have been caused by the dog having had its ears cropped, as is the fashion for some owners. Ear cropping of dogs is illegal in this country.
When taken to the PDSA, the condition of the animal was so poor that the charity’s vet had no alternative but to have her put to sleep.
Photographs of the poor dog are so distressing, a decision has been taken not to publish them on Inside Croydon.
Johnston, 60, from Norbury Avenue in Thornton Heath, appeared at Croydon Magistrates Court last month, where he was charged “that between 23rd November 2023 and 23rd February 2024 at Norbury Avenue, Croydon, you did cause unnecessary suffering to a certain animal, namely, a tan XL bully-type dog called Raynor by one or a combination of failing to provide adequate nutrition for the animal’s needs and/or by failing to provide veterinary treatment for severe ear disease and you knew or ought reasonably to have known that your failure to act would have the effect of causing the animal to suffer or be likely to do so contrary to Section 4(1) of the Animal Welfare Act 2006”.
Johnston pleaded guilty to one offence.
As well as the ban he was handed an eight-week prison sentence which was suspended for 12 months. Under the suspended sentence order, he will have to abide by a curfew for four weeks and complete 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
The defendant had presented the dog to the PDSA in June 2023, when she was put on steroid medication for the infection which had left her ears thickened and inflamed. But he failed to attend a follow-up appointment in July of that year and was not seen again for eight months.
RSPCA officer Yalina Blumer attended the PDSA clinic and said the dead dog’s ribs and spine were clearly visible and her cropped ears looked “very inflamed”.
In a statement to the court, a PDSA vet said Johnston was unable to explain what he fed Raynor, but claimed that “neighbours would sometimes throw food over the fence into his garden for the dog to eat”.
The vet’s statement said: “I am of the belief that Raynor undoubtedly suffered for a period of at least three months as the defendant failed to take reasonable steps to ensure she had a suitable diet and failed to protect her from pain, suffering and disease.”
In mitigation, the court was told Johnston had housing and mental health issues and was remorseful for his actions. He had not been responsible for the illegal cropping of the dog’s ears, it was said.
The RSPCS’s Blumer said: “Pets are completely reliant on their owners to ensure their needs are met and they are kept safe and healthy.
“Owning an animal is a privilege – and ensuring appropriate veterinary care when they need it is a key part of the responsibility we have towards them.”
- If you have a news story about life in or around Croydon, or want to publicise your residents’ association or business, or if you have a local event to promote, please email us with full details at inside.croydon@btinternet.com
As featured on Google News Showcase
- Our comments section on every report provides all readers with an immediate “right of reply” on all our content. Our comments policy can be read by clicking here
Inside Croydon is a member of the Independent Community News Network
