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Dog Owner Banned After Extreme Canine Obesity
19 Jul
Summary
- A 68-year-old man received a 15-year animal ban.
- One terrier weighed 14.2kg, becoming the most obese dog seen.
- The owner received a suspended prison sentence for animal welfare offenses.
A man from Swansea, William Johns, 68, has been banned from keeping animals for 15 years and received a suspended prison sentence. This follows an investigation by the RSPCA into the welfare of his two Jack Russell Terriers, Cai and Lily.
The dogs were found to be suffering from extreme obesity. Cai weighed 14.2kg and was so severely overweight that a vet determined he had end-stage heart failure and sadly had to be euthanized. He had a body condition score of nine out of nine.
Inspector Gemma Cooper described Lily as the most overweight dog she had ever seen in her 15 years with the RSPCA. Lily also had a body condition score of nine out of nine and suffered from difficulty breathing. She was later seized by officers and has since recovered after losing over 2kg in the RSPCA's care.
Johns admitted to two offenses under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and was given an eight-month custodial sentence suspended for two years. He was also ordered to pay £400 in court costs and a £187 victim surcharge. The court heard Johns had health issues, including Parkinson's and reduced mobility, which impacted his ability to care for the animals.
