A North Yorkshire woman who allowed her pet dog to starve and suffer “until the time of his death” has been sentenced to 16 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months.
Megan Mitchell, 27, from Camblesforth in Selby, neglected her German Shepherd, Loki, over a period of several weeks prior to his death.
Mitchell pleaded guilty at York Magistrates’ Court on 5 March to causing unnecessary suffering to Loki between 12 January and 4 February 2024, by failing to address his significant weight loss, leading to his prolonged suffering and eventual death.
Following a prosecution by the RSPCA, on 30 April she was also banned from keeping animals for life and ordered to pay £600 in court costs.
RSPCA Inspector Natalie Hill attended Mitchell’s address in Grange Road, Selby, on 3 February 2024, following a report of a dog found collapsed and unresponsive in a cage. Mitchell agreed to let inspector Natalie take two-year-old Loki to a local vet.
In a statement read to the court, the inspector said: “Loki did not respond to my touch but I could confirm he was breathing. The bottom of the crate was covered in very smelly faeces with a hard plastic base, no bedding. Loki did respond to me moving him with a whimper.
“On arrival at the vets I was met by three members of staff with a trolley in the car park. I opened my rear door and unfortunately discovered Loki had passed away whilst on the journey.”
A veterinary examination revealed that Loki had a body condition score of one out of nine, a healthy dog should score five. He showed signs of severe dehydration and was dangerously emaciated.
A post-mortem examination concluded that Loki had been malnourished over a prolonged period, eventually dying from organ failure caused by E.coli septicaemia.
In a statement to the court, the vet said: “The dog had clearly been in a very debilitated state. This dog will have been showing extreme signs of illness in the period of time leading up to its death.
“Any reasonable owner should certainly have recognised the increasing lethargy and debilitation of their pet. It is clear Loki had been undernourished for a prolonged period of time, at least multiple weeks but possibly longer. This dog will have experienced suffering up until the time of death.”
Ahead of sentencing, the magistrates’ chairman told Mitchell, “This is a sad case concerning Loki, who was subject to extreme suffering at your hands. He was malnourished for a prolonged period and suffered for at least three weeks. Loki was kept without bedding, had no nourishment and covered in his own faeces. We find this to be a case of deliberate neglect.”
Speaking after the hearing, RSPCA Inspector Natalie Hill, said: “Poor Loki had been suffering for weeks and towards the end of his short life, his pain would have been intense. The conditions he was living in were unacceptable and his most basic needs were not being met.
“The thought of any animal suffering like this is completely heart-breaking, and there is simply no need for it to get to this stage.
“If owners are struggling with caring for a pet we would urge them to seek advice and help from the RSPCA or other animal welfare charities, who are there to help prevent animals suffering unnecessarily.”
Anyone struggling with the cost of owning a pet can find help available. Animal welfare charities can offer help and advice, and the RSPCA has launched a dedicated cost of living hub to signpost help available for owners, including pet food banks.
For more advice and information on pet welfare, please visit the RSPCA website.