Adorable and life-loving Beau, a Lhasa Apso-type dog, was suffering from multiple skin conditions. Despite him having been in pain, his owner lied to the RSPCA about taking him to the vet. The unbelievable neglectled to a heartbreaking decision.
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Multiple warnings
After finding out about Beau’s health problems, the RSPCA inspectors made numerous visits to his owner’s house last year. They were taken aback by the conditions the dog was kept in as her yard was full of faeces.
The pup's coat was heavily matted and flea-infested. He was also suffering from alopecia and conjunctivitis. Most of Beau’s skin across his trunk and limbs was red and inflamed. It was so painful that an RSPCA inspector observed him licking and biting at himself constantly. His nails were also overgrown on all four of his feet.
The charity advised the owner to take the dog to the vet as soon as possible. During the inspectors’ follow-up visits, the woman assured them she had done so. Sadly, they could find no evidence to back up her claims.
A heartbreaking decision
Beau’s owner eventually agreed to allow RSPCA inspectors to take him to the vet. The dog's hair and nails were trimmed, and he was treated with anti-parasites, eye drops, antibiotics, and anti-inflammatories.
A vet who examined the dog said:
The front of Beau's chest was completely alopecic. He had numerous patches of alopecia over his dorsum and the majority of skin across his trunk and limbs was reddened and inflamed.
Sadly, a later examination of Beau's mouth revealed a separate issue with a tumour that had spread through his jawbone. The rescue team and the vet had to take a heartbreaking decision to end the poor pup’s suffering. He was put to sleep.
The sentence
Beau’s owner pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to her dog under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. She said she was remorseful and ‘had had a lot going on’ at the time.
The woman was sentenced to 150 hours of unpaid work and 10 rehabilitation activity days as part of her 12-month community order. She has also been disqualified from keeping animals for life.
After the hearing, RSPCA Inspector Kris Walker said:
Beau was left in a dreadful state, matted and suffering from sore skin, alopecia and eye issues. He was signed over into our care, but sadly a tumour was found in his jawbone, and the kindest course of action was to put him to sleep to end his suffering.
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