As a nation of dog lovers, people will be both angry and elated after reading this story about how a neglected Staffordshire bull terrier was rescued after it jumped into the back of a police car.
The Staffie, called Sky, was running in the road and ended up running in front of a police car on 3rd June this year according to an article shared in the Lancashire Post.
Upon seeing the dog, that was suffering from a severe skin condition, the police officer stopped her car and got out to check on the dog. But as soon as the police officer opened her door, ‘Sky’ jumped straight into the vehicle.
Due to neglect by her owners, Sky was covered in cysts all over her back and legs which had come about because Sky’s owner could not be bothered to sort her skin condition out.
The Police contacted the RSPCA who then started an investigation into how Sky had managed to get into such a poor condition.
Sky’s owners, Leanne Ashworth and Ian Boyles, both of Sycamore Avenue, Burnley, were convicted in their absence of causing unnecessary suffering to Sky at Burnley Magistrates’ Court last Thursday after they failed to attend the hearing.
They were sentenced on Monday and police have now issued a warrant for their arrest after they failed to appear at the court.
Boyes has been ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work, whilst Ashworth was given a 42-day curfew between the hours of 22:00 and 0600.
They have also been ordered to pay costs of £250 and an £85 victim surcharge – maybe this £85 can be used to buy some prime steak for Sky!
RSPCA inspector Lyndsey Taylor, who investigated the case, told the Lancashire Post:
“Sky was suffering from severe skin condition which resulted in lumps and cysts, and her skin was red raw and bleeding. She must have been so uncomfortable with it.
“Sky’s situation came to light after she was running stray in the road and in front of a police car.
“When the officer stopped and opened the car door to get out, Sky jumped in. It was immediately obvious she was suffering. She was taken to a police station and we were called.” The RSPCA traced Ashworth and Boyes as the owners of Sky.
Inspector Taylor said: “They said they were aware of the condition and had tried to treat it using medicated shampoo but she had not been to a vets recently. This was a condition which needed veterinary treatment as it was so severe.
“When I took Sky to a vet to have it looked at, they said it was entirely preventable and that she had been suffering as a result.”
Magistrates ordered that Sky be signed over into the RSPCA’s care.
The seven-year-old is now in the care of a branch where her condition has improved.
“She is still healing but she looks and feels so much better,” said Inspector Taylor.
Boyes and Ashworth’s solicitor, in mitigation, told the court that it was due to financial reasons that Sky did not get the treatment she needed.
If you cannot afford to look after a dog, then you should not get one! Why do these people claim poverty when, in reality, they are NOT forced to own a dog?
Do these selfish individuals, who abuse animals, not have enough intelligence to work out that there are charities out there who can help them if they can’t/won’t look after their ‘pets’?
The PDSA is one such charity – so claiming that they didn’t have the money to look after Sky is, to be frank, utter BS!
If you happen to know the whereabouts of Leanne Ashworth and Ian Boyles, both of Sycamore Avenue, Burnley, then please call the police on 101 and let them know where they are!
If you would like to offer Sky a new home and you are a genuine animal lover, then please get in touch with the RSPCA via their website or via their Twitter handle.
To read the article shared in the Lancashire Post, click here –>
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