A woman whose Sheffield home was covered in poo, decaying food and rubbish has had her pet cats seized and been banned from keeping animals.
Police joined RSPCA inspectors to raid 52-year-old Sara Whitton’s flat on Lupton Walk in Lowedges, after the animal welfare charity had initially looked through the letterbox.
One of the two flea-ridden cats, Sooty and Kiki, who was living in the rubbish and faeces-strewn flat in Lupton Walk in Lowedges, Sheffield, was suffering from severe dental disease and had 16 teeth missing. Sheffield magistrates were told that RSPCA inspector Jack Taylor had visited the property on June 15 last year following welfare concerns about the animals and could immediately smell a strong, unpleasant odour coming from behind the door.
The inspector said he looked through the letterbox and could see a mountain of household rubbish all over the floor, which made it difficult for Whitton to open the door to him. Whitton was warned by the inspector that the environment was wholly unsuitable for cats to be living in and she was issued with an improvement notice. But further visits to the property showed conditions had not improved and on August 5 a warrant was carried out with the police and the cats were removed.
The court heard evidence from inspector Taylor, who described the conditions inside on that visit. He said: “There was household rubbish all over the flat, covering every inch of floor. The kitchen was full of mouldy food piled high. There was a fridge in the living room which was in working order, but it was full of black mouldy food and overflowing so the door couldn’t shut. There have been a number of bottles of milk that have been so old, the contents had solidified contained in the cartons.
“It was the most disgusting environment I had ever experienced, and I could not believe a person could live in this environment, let alone cats. Behind the tv stand in the living room was a huge mound of cat faeces, which the cats had obviously chosen to use as their toilet as the litter tray in the bathroom was still full and overflowing.”
She has been banned from keeping all animals for five years after pleading guilty to two charges of breaking the Animal Welfare Act 2006 – causing unnecessary suffering and failing to meet the animals’ needs – at a hearing in June and was sentenced at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court on September 22 following a prosecution by the RSPCA.
Both cats were terrified and completely unhandled but they were eventually caught and taken by the inspector for veterinary treatment. During the rescue, one of Sooty’s canine enamel got here out utterly from the basis and was stored as proof.
On examination, feminine tabby cat Kiki was discovered to have a number of bald patches of alopecia which have been self-inflicted resulting from a extreme, untreated flea infestation. Sooty, a tabby and white male cat, was the extra anxious of the 2, which made examination troublesome.
The courtroom heard that six days later, Sooty was booked in for a dental process beneath common anaesthetic which revealed extreme dental illness was affecting his remaining enamel. Sixteen have been lacking and had no remaining root left behind, and 4 have been surgically eliminated.
In his proof, the vet mentioned: “It is my opinion that these cats have suffered due to the proprietor’s failure to hunt veterinary consideration, particularly for Sooty’s extreme dental illness. An correct interval of struggling is troublesome to estimate, however as a result of chronicity it may need been over six months. The proprietor ought to have sought veterinary recommendation when recent blood or a robust odor was seen.
“In Kiki’s case, the extreme flea infestation had prompted pointless struggling. Section 9 of the Animal Welfare Act (2006) states that animals have to be shielded from ache, struggling, harm or illness. Failure of the proprietor on this case to take affordable steps to forestall ache, struggling and misery to fulfill the wants of the animal, breaches this laws.”
Inspector Taylor made repeated makes an attempt to try to meet Whitton to interview her in regards to the scenario however telephone calls went unanswered and appointments have been missed. Environmental well being officers have been additionally unable to get her to scrub the property.
In addition to the 5 12 months ban on protecting all animals, magistrates additionally imposed a 12 month Community Order, prices of £200 and a Victim Surcharge of £114.
In mitigation, the courtroom heard Whitton was remorseful and ashamed of the scenario. She recognised that she wanted assist and not wished to maintain animals.
Both cats have been taken care of by the RSPCA’s Doncaster, Rotherham and District Branch. A confiscation order was additionally imposed by the courtroom after Whitton had refused to signal them over.
Speaking after the conclusion of the case inspector Taylor mentioned: “The proprietor of those cats was given ample alternative to rectify the scenario however situations didn’t enhance and it was merely unacceptable for any animal to be dwelling like that.
“It wasn’t simply the situations contained in the flat. Both cats had not acquired something like the suitable stage of care or seen a vet, leading to them being uncared for and affected by extreme dental points and pores and skin allergic reactions.”
