Neglected dog had to be put to sleep
A DOG owner who let his pet starve and suffer unnecessary discomfort has been jailed for six weeks.
Christopher Hobbs appeared at North Staffordshire Magistrates' Court yesterday after pleading guilty to two counts of animal cruelty, committed in September and October last year.
The court heard the RSPCA was called in to investigate Hobbs after he took his four-year-old brindle Staffordshire Bull Terrier Sasha to a vet.
The animal was found to have pressure sores all over her body. One of the lesions had penetrated through all the layers of skin and was exposing the bone on her hind leg.
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She was 45 per cent underweight, weighing just 7.2kg, and the vet believed she must have been suffering for at least four weeks. The dog was put to sleep to prevent further suffering.
Andrew Meachin, prosecuting said: "This defendant took his dog to a vet and the surgeon decided there was clear evidence of neglect and notified the RSPCA.
"A dog like that should weigh 15kg. Hobbs said he thought Sasha was in pain and was bleeding. She was in a semi conscious state.
"He said the dog had been behaving and eating normally up until that morning."
A post mortem revealed the cause of death was a failure by Hobbs, aged 39, of Bold Street, Hanley, to feed the dog a sufficient diet.
The fat behind her eyelids had disappeared and vets believe that is the last reserve the body will use before breaking down muscle.
In interview, Hobbs said the dog had eaten a hedgehog three or four months before and had been losing weight since then.
Nick Ryles, defending, said: "There had been previous contact with the RSPCA when neighbours had reported matters. In 2007 they had given Hobbs advice about the sleeping accommodation for his dog and in May 2009 he was advised about a tether for the dog.
"No major concerns were raised by the RSPCA. He used to take the dog to the City Dog's Home for boarding when he went to visit his daughter in Spain.
"He said he did not notice the lesions. He was out at work a lot, but said the dog was fed regularly and seen at least three times a day. He did not walk the dog regularly and did not have it in the house as most pet owners do."
Chairman of the bench, David Alcock, said: "It is clear that this level of starvation is one of the worst cases the vet had ever seen. It was so extreme Sasha had to be put down."
The magistrates chose the highest sentence available, 12 weeks' custody, and then reduced it to six weeks for Hobbs's guilty plea and previous good character.
Hobbs has also been disqualified from keeping animals for 15 years.
The court was notified Hobbs will appeal the sentence, but an application for bail pending that appeal was refused.
Comments
by 123no321
Wednesday, March 06 2013, 4:16AM
“in reply to vet, stoke
Should you really be replying to things like this & with such information surely your profession is governed by patient confidentility clauses like doctors etc, & if this is the case you have breached it on several occasions by replying in such detail. I know its an old issue but i will be making enquries as to the legality of this matter regarding your comments.”
by vet, stoke
Saturday, March 27 2010, 10:52PM
“firstly i want to thank the rspca for taking this case so far. animal abuse is a much talked about subject in this country but the laws are infrequently taken seriously. while mr hobbs may have been made as an example how we will not stand for this anymore it is an example well made. for diane from glossop - omg!! you critisize without knowlegde!! you should never ever starve an animal if they've misbehaved!! and sticking their noses in urine and faeces is completely the wrong thing to do!! i would love to teach you the correct methods for behavioural modification. if what you said is really true, you need reporting to the rspca! again, to diane, vets do not over-charge and we are certainly not over-paided for the work we do. look in to the average vet income vs doctors and dentists which are our comparable careers. i'm assuming you pay you're NI contributions which pays for your NHS treatment but the vet industry doesnt have this. i will reiterate points from before - if you can't afford an animal...don't get one!! vet surgeries are not charities. they are a business like any other. you wouldn't expect your garage to pay to fix your car if you could't afford it now would you?! and sasha was put to sleep because this was the only option for her - she didn't have an gram of muscle on her and was completely comotosed when brought to the surgery so it wasn't that we just "didn't want to pay for her treatment". for everyone defending mr hobbs i really wish you could see the pictures of sasha. sasha's case was the most disturbing thing i've seen in my career and will stay with me forever. no one should EVER be allowed to starve an animal to death - there are always options. i am saddened that there are people still out there that think they can treat animals badly and i hope that in the future more cases like this get taken to trial with jail as a result. to mr hobbs, his family and friends i am sorry but sasha suffered during those last few weeks of her life - her clinical signs and post-morte showed that - and the vets have to be the unspoken voice of the pets”
by Diana Hepworth, Glossop
Wednesday, March 24 2010, 1:47AM
“Animals learn through feeding. The guy was perhaps trying to teach the dog something. Yoe people criticize without understanding all the facts. When my cat behaves wrong or urines or defactes in the wrong place I rub her nose in it to teach her. Honestly though vets overcharge and when someone cannot afford to pay the vet should pay. They are paid enough and that is what they are for. This vet chose to see the animal but not pay for its treatment and put it to sleep.”
by Diana Hepworth, Glossop
Wednesday, March 24 2010, 1:42AM
“Animals learn through feeding. Maybe the man was attempting to teach the dog something? Maybe the dog was misbehaviing. You don't think things through you criticize without enough knowledge. I withold food from my cat when she is bad and that is how she learns. That is why you rub their faces in their urine and poo when they do it in the wrong places. Honestly though vets overcharge. When someone takes an animal to the vet and they cannot afford to pay the vets should do everything for free or pay for everything themselves. They get paid enough and that is what they are for.”
by veterinary nurse, stoke on trent
Tuesday, March 23 2010, 12:15PM
“a day without food is a long one, this dog had alot of long painful days. How would you feel my friend?
prison is where the owner should be.”
by dave, stoke
Monday, March 22 2010, 9:43PM
“hear hear i totally agree with paul at the end of the day it was only a dog yea its sad but its only an animal people get to involved when they hear that an animal has been mistreated & i for 1 dont condone that in anyway but come on get a live its only an animal.”
by dog lover, stoke on trent
Monday, March 22 2010, 8:32PM
“I knew chris and i am highly ashamed to admit.
My partner worked with him and we can not believe how he treadted sasha.
Yes he lost a lot of weight and was struggling with money. But we didnt even know he had a dog and he NEVER asked for help. There would have been so many people willing to help him in so many ways. But if he doesnt ask or let on that he needs help then what can we do.
It is also concerning that he used to work 12 hours plus in any one day. So who looked after the dog at this time.
And i have to say the one thing that annoys me the most is that when you are skint and really struggling you make all the cut backs possible. To me the internet is not a must have and i know for a fact he did have the internet at home. if he couldnt afford to feed that poor poor dog why couldnt he just call the RSPCA or take her to the city dogs home.
And it looks like he will be out in 3 weeks on good behaviour.
R.I.P Sasha and i have to say i think chriss will have lost a hell of alot of friends over this....”
by June, Newcastle under Lyme
Monday, March 22 2010, 9:21AM
“Regarding this story.
Some people (not all) get a pet without a thought of the future.
A dog can live for 15 yrs or more and in that time relies totally on its owner for food and care.
As it gets older it will probably require more vetinary care with the resulting fees.
It could incur vet care due to accidents, illness etc.
Think, before getting any animal as a pet, can you afford the food and vets fees that animal is going to require for the rest of its life?
You may be able to now but will you be able to next year or in 10 yrs time?
Please think before getting any pet to save unnecessary suffering.”
by Andrew, Newcastle
Monday, March 22 2010, 9:01AM
“Lee - you're surprised and angry that people are leaving negative comments about a man who left his dog to starve to death? Really?
Fred - how dare you tell people what they can and can't say on a public forum? Also, its interesting that neither you, nor Lee have explained exactly how he managed to neglect and starve his dog to the point "the fat behind her eyelids had disappeared." And finally, his own defence counsel noted he didn't walk the dog regularly and kept it outside. Neither of which are the actions of a man who treats his dog well.”
by Warren, Mier
Sunday, March 21 2010, 3:42PM
“Two in a cupple of days, both Staffies, I'm crying hear. I feel sorry in my heart for this proud, fine, local bread. I have had Staffies all my life, I have never had a problem looking after them, there health or there temper. That are, when treated right the most loveley bread of dog. It must be some of the utter un-educated, scum of the earth, brainless idiots who now wish to keep them for reasons best kept to thenselfs. Now, a word of warning, if I see a Staffie, or indeed any dog being mistreaded, I'll go to the police, the RSPCA, and you better belive that I'll be comeing after the person who's doing it myself, with a rather large stick.”