Ban for owners of dog which ate own toes
THE owners of a Staffordshire Terrier that chewed off her own toes after being left without vet treatment have been banned from keeping animals for five years.
Elisa Hearne, aged 21, of Brookwood Drive, Meir, and 30-year-old Phillip Maddox, of Goodwin Road, Meir, received the ban after admitting causing unnecessary suffering to the dog.
Maddox was fined £100 and each has to pay costs of £906.
Newcastle Magistrates Court was told Hearne and Maddox failed to provide the dog, called Henna, with the correct veterinary treatment after she injured her paws by scratching on a back gate.
Rather than take her to the vet, she was bandaged up and left for a week, when she began to chew her toes off because she was in such pain.
RSPCA deputy chief inspector Julie Lyons said: "This poor dog was left to suffer what excruciating pain for far too long.
"Any responsible pet owner knows an injured animal should be taken immediately to the vets for treatment. "Thankfully Henna has recovered from her horrific injuries and will soon be looking for a new home."







22 Comments
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by laura, lightwood
Friday, March 19 2010, 6:24PM
“Thats disgusting! That poor dog! God help your baby if you cant even look after a dog!”
by Claire, Stoke
Thursday, March 18 2010, 10:45AM
“Evil b*stards.
5 year ban is a joke, should be for life and they should also be sterilised to protect the gene pool.
Bret, you sir are an idiot.”
by Warren, Meir
Thursday, March 18 2010, 9:34AM
“One more thing, Mickey, as you can see, I'm from Meir. I also have a dog, witch happens to be a Staffie also. She is 11 years old and is well looked after, is seen by the local vets twice a year at least. She is well traned, so will not injure herself, but if she did, she would be seen by the vet right away. She is micro- chiped and she has insurance, as are meny of the dogs in Meir.”
by Warren, Meir
Thursday, March 18 2010, 9:22AM
“Bret... I strongly suggest two things. You find the shift key on your keyboard and you stop defending uncareing scum of the earth. If the gate was dammaged like you say, and this poor little dog was hurting herself on it, the gate sould have been changed or repaired. Most vets would have happly seen the dog, and treated her, on the day, without the need for an appointment. You need to get in the real world dude.
Again, problem sorted, thats the way to deal with silly folk like Bret.”
by lindsay, stoke
Wednesday, March 17 2010, 9:59PM
“i wish i knew where she was cuz i'd give her a good home, she would have loads of cuddles and loves from us. im going ring the rspca tomorrow for imformation on her.”
by Me, at Home, Home
Wednesday, March 17 2010, 9:17PM
“Hey, you know what? These people choose to have an animal. If they can't afford to pay for it (including emergency vet fees) then don't have one. The poor dog didn't ask for these people to look after him, or as the case may be-Not! They should be banned for life. AND Mickey from Ash Bank get a life! There is good and bad everywhere and Ash Bank is certainly no exception! From experience.”
by Kerry, Lightwood
Wednesday, March 17 2010, 9:14PM
“Bret havent these people ever heard of an emergency vet? As an owner of a staffy myself, when he has needed to see a vet, one phone call and he's seen with in 24 hours.
These kind of chavvy owners are what gives the staffy a bad name.
Lets hope Henna gets a better home as I am sure it couldnt be any worse...”
by Flick, Hanford
Wednesday, March 17 2010, 9:06PM
“Brett, I suggest you shut up. The fact you are trying to defend these people, makes you just as bad as they are.
You DO NOT bandage up your own dog's paws and leave it for a week. You take the dog to the vet IMMEDIATELY.
And no-one has even mentioned why the poor dog was left to scratch at a gate so badly as to shred her paws!
Selfish, thoughtless, pitiful idiots and those who defend them are as bad.”
by bret, stoke on trent
Wednesday, March 17 2010, 8:39PM
“right just to let all the small mnded people out there that there is another side to the story , and i actualy know these people very well and i now exactly what went on reguarding there dog!. the poor thing got splinters in her paws from scratching at the gate, whitch she actualy shreaded, and i saw the gate so i know!. they tryed to help there dog like anybody who feels anything for anything would know. they bandaged it up put some anticeptic on and stuff to stop her from chewing at it whilst they tried to get her into the vets to be seen propperly!. the thing is that the papper you are reading and that you believe so strictly doesnt stretch the truth of things at all does it??????????”
by anonimous, staffordshire moorlands
Wednesday, March 17 2010, 8:10PM
“this is horrific! went to school with elisa and no that she has a child, if she can look after a dog how can she look after a baby! they should be banned from having animals for life. the sentence for animal abuse is not harsh enough. i agree with debbie in chell, they are complete and utter scum bags and i hope one day they get there cumupance-maybe that will be the day they have to tell there child that she cant have a puppy because mummy and daddy inflicted so much pain on the last dog!!”