Couple Banned From Keeping Animals After Emaciated Dogs Discovered at Home

A couple have been banned from keeping any animals for 10 years after emaciated dogs, just a day away from death, were discovered at their home.

The dogs' owners—from Blackpool, U.K.—were prosecuted after their six Jack Russell terriers—named Jack, Sasha, Angel, Coraline, Junior and Jazz—were found malnourished in their home, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said.

Ryan Seel and Debbie Slater admitted that they had caused "unnecessary suffering" to three of the pets. They were found guilty of "failing to meet the needs of all six dogs," after the RSPCA sought prosecution. Officers from the local council had visited the couple's flat on December 15, 2022, after noise compliance and concerns regarding the dogs. There had been reports that the terriers had been left out in the garden for very long periods of time, the RSPCA said.

"He showed us into the house and, as we walked through the hallway into the dining room, I noticed the Jack Russells running round," a council officer said in evidence to the court. "I immediately noticed that they were looking underweight. I turned and looked into the living room, and there was a lady sitting on the couch and she was holding another two Jack Russells that also looked underweight.

"I asked them what was going on, and their response was there was nothing wrong with the dogs," the council officer added. "The man then let us pick up one of the Jack Russells, and you could see her ribs and hip bones. He explained that they had changed their food as they had lost a bit of weight and he said the one that he was holding had been to the vets.

"I asked him when this was, and he replied two years ago. I explained that, as soon as they noticed the dogs dropping weight, they should have taken them to the vets straight away."

The dogs were then taken for emergency vet treatment. Three of the Jack Russells had to stay in overnight, and the RSPCA was contacted due to the dogs' severe condition. The vet said in court that the terriers had not been fed properly for a very long period of time. Three of the dogs weighed only between 3.08 and 3.5 pounds. This should have been closer to 9.9 to 11.02 pounds.

"We attempted to take an ear prick of blood to check [one dog's] blood sugar level, but his circulation was so collapsed from the hypothermia that we failed," the vet said in court, as reported by the RSPCA.

Three of the dogs in the worst condition were so starved that they could not even regulate their own body temperature. "I would say from experience, [they] were within 24 hours of dying," the vet said.

The dogs were taken in by the RSPCA, but Amy McIntosh, an inspector for the society, said that they were very subdued when they arrived. Eventually, by January 2023, the terriers were back to full health. They have now been rehomed to different owners.

Both Seel and Slater were given a £114 surcharge and told to pay £300 in costs. The pair also were banned for 10 years from keeping any animals.

The RSCPA reported that Seel was given a 12-month community order, 10 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR) days and 100 hours of unpaid work. Slater was given a 12-month community order, 10 RAR days and a four-month curfew between the hours of 9 p.m. and 7 a.m.

Speaking after the case, Simon Small, RSPCA chief inspector for Lancashire, said: "It's clear from the condition the dogs were found in that their needs had not been met for some considerable time, so much so that three of them may not have lived much longer had they not been rescued."