Michelle Corrigan, 45, has narrowly avoided jail after leaving a three-year-old dog named Moana to starve to death inside an empty Birmingham property. Corrigan, of Morecroft Road, Walsall, claimed in court she had left Moana in the care of 'someone else' after 'fleeing a violent gang'.
Moana, a bull breed, was found dead inside a cage in the property. Police alerted the RSPCA following the tragic discovery. Bal Dhamia, an animal rescue officer at the charity, described the shocking scene.
Horrifying conditions found by RSPCA officer
Dhamia said: “There was an overwhelming smell of decomposition. The kitchen floor was littered with white and red stained towels and the floor had a large wet patch which looked like blood and water. In the corner of the kitchen, there was a large black dog cage with a dead dog wrapped in a white towel.”
Moana’s body was taken for further examination and a post-mortem to discover her cause of death and condition before her passing. In their report to the court, the vet who examined her body said: “Her body weight was 14.6kg and I scored her body condition at 1/9, the lowest score, with very poor muscle mass. I would expect a healthy weight, for a similar dog of the same breed, sex and age to be at the very least double, at approximately 35-40kg, and to have well developed muscles.”
The vet added: “In the absence of food, the body eats itself away, decreasing fat and muscle mass until all energy sources are depleted and multiple organ failure ensues, eventually leading to death. The physical and psychological pain associated with hunger and being confined and unable to procure your own food should not be underestimated.”
Suspended sentence and lifetime ban
Corrigan was sentenced to 15 weeks in custody, suspended for 18 months, at Birmingham Magistrates' Court on August 14. She was also banned from keeping animals for life - which she cannot appeal for 10 years. Corrigan was told to also complete 30 rehabilitation days and ordered to pay £750 in court costs and a £154 victim surcharge.
RSPCA Inspector Vicki Taylor said after the sentencing: “Moana was abandoned alone without a second thought for her welfare. Animals are reliant on their owners to provide them with the care they need to survive but instead of being shown kindness, Moana experienced cruelty and was simply left to die.”
