Four UK dogs, one of which was on the brink of death, have been rescued from horrifying conditions, and their owner has pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and failure to ensure their welfare.
Eighteen-year-old Luke Evers was arrested after police and the RSPCA teamed up to target people using dogs to hunt wild animals in the borough of Darlington.
Prosecutor Kevin Campbell told Darlington Magistrates’ Court that officers raiding Evers’ home had found four dogs, with a variety of health problems, living in squalor outside of the home.
A bull lurcher on the property had injuries to its face, an inflamed eye, and had been so badly dehydrated that it collapsed. Campbell reported that had the dog been left much longer, it very likely would have died.
“The dog itself had a number of cuts around its eyes and middle and fresh swollen areas to the chin and gums,” Campbell said. “It had conjunctivitis, it is filthy, has flea dirt on it and scars on its ribcage; effectively it is in a pretty bad condition.
“The dog was in a very painful state; when she (the vet) touched it, it seemed to have quite a lot of pain and was suffering from severe dehydration. Had the dog been left for more than just a few more hours it would probably have died.”
Though the dogs had access to some shelter, their overall living conditions were found to be inadequate, and there was only one old sleeping bag out for all four dogs to sleep upon.
“They were living in ten days worth of feces, in the vet’s opinion,” Campbell noted.
Evers will be sentenced on October 10th, when he is due back in court, and hopefully the dogs will be living happier, healthier lives.
