A Birmingham woman who neglected her dog by leaving him alone without food or water in her filthy home has avoided jail. Jade Harwood's eleven-year-old husky, Oleg, was left to become severely underweight in her squalid home filled with litter and debris.
RSPCA officers found Oleg covered in fleas inside the 38-year-old's cluttered and mouldy address in Tarrington Covert, Kings Norton. The animal welfare charity had been called out to her home repeatedly after receiving reports that Oleg was living in unsanitary conditions.
The pooch was seized by police and later taken to RSPCA Birmingham Animal Hospital for treatment. Oleg was sadly put down for unrelated health reasons, despite eventually returning to a healthier weight.
The vet who examined Oleg said: "He had a body condition score of one out nine, meaning he was emaciated with muscle loss and no discernible fat. A reasonable owner would provide an adequate diet, ensure an adequate supply of water, and present their animal for veterinary assessment if they failed to gain or maintain a healthy weight. This dog was extremely underweight with obvious muscle loss."
The vet added: "The owner should have also noticed the marked flea dirt and numerous live fleas present on Oleg’s body and should have provided adequate preventative treatment or presented him for veterinary treatment, given the level of flea infestation present. It's likely that Oleg also showed signs consistent with his severe anaemia such as lethargy, weakness and a possible a reluctance to eat, which may have contributed further to his poor body condition and should have prompted the owner to seek veterinary advice."
Oleg saw his weight increase by 68 per cent to 21.9kg in just three months. But, due to unrelated health concerns, he was later euthanised.
Harwood was sentenced at Birmingham Magistrates' Court on April 29 to 12 weeks custody, suspended for two years, for neglecting Oleg. She blamed 'personal issues' and 'caring responsibilities' in mitigation for why her situation and Oleg's health had spiralled. Harwood, who has been banned from keeping animals for a decade, said she was ashamed of what had happened. She was ordered to pay £350 costs and a £154 victim surcharge.
RSPCA Inspector Ben Jones said: "Animals are completely reliant on their owners to ensure their needs, including the need for a suitable diet, are met. Owning an animal is a privilege and ensuring appropriate care is a key part of the responsibility we have towards them."
