He waited two days before taking suffering Boss to a PDSA clinic for help and then failed to turn up for X-rays
A Hull man who failed to continue vet treatment for his dog who suffered a broken leg in a road traffic accident has been banned from keeping animals for 10 years after a prosecution by the RSPCA. Dexter Reid, 27, of St. George’s Road, pleaded guilty to one offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and appeared for sentencing at Hull Magistrates’ Court, when as well as the disqualification he was handed a 10-week prison sentence which was suspended for 12 months.
The court was told how a veterinary nurse contacted the animal charity after she came across the accident scene on St.George’s Road. Boss, a mastiff type dog, had been in collision with a car.
The canine was injured and in shock, but despite being urged to seek vet treatment by an RSPCA officer, the defendant waited two days before going to a PDSA clinic. The court heard how RSPCA officers made several attempts to persuade Reid to seek out help for Boss, but he failed to follow up an initial appointment and then made no further attempts to get the canine seen by a vet.
Boss was seized from the defendant’s home when an RSPCA officer attended with police more than three weeks after the road accident which occurred on March 1. X-rays later revealed the canine had suffered a fractured radius of his front left leg.
The vet nurse who was at the roadside on March 1 this year said in a statement presented to the court that the dog was lying in the middle of the road and had suffered abrasions to one front leg and his chest. She said that she helped carry the dog to the defendant’s home on a homemade stretcher and advised that the dog was seen straight away by a vet.
The defendant was said to have told her, ‘he will be okay, he’s just run up the stairs’ and when RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer (ARO) Emily Lomas offered financial help and transport to a vets, the defendant refused the offer but agreed that he would take the dog that evening.
The officer tried in vain to contact the defendant, but several days later received a call from the PDSA who said they were concerned as the dog had been brought in on March 3 when pain medication was provided and an appointment for x-rays scheduled for three days later.
When RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer Lucy Featherstone returned to Reid’s home on March 13 she could see that Boss was limping on his front leg, but the defendant said he could not afford the £300 x-ray costs and believed the dog was getting better. He claimed Boss was “putting it on and limping for attention”, although he accepted a vet voucher towards medical costs when he was told he had until March 20 to get Boss back to the PDSA.
After Boss was removed from the defendant’s home on March 26 he was put on kennel rest to recover. A vet stated in her report the dog would have experienced extreme pain at the time of the injury and when the medication dispensed by the PDSA ran out on March 13 he would have been in pain for the following two weeks.
In mitigation it was said that the defendant was suffering from health issues. Magistrates said Reid was guilty of a “deliberate and conscious refusal to seek assistance and treatment allowing the dog to suffer over a significant time”.
The defendant also has to complete 10 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR) days and pay costs of £100 and a victim surcharge of £154. Boss has needed plenty of hard work from RSPCA staff to recover from his ordeal and once he is ready he will be found a loving new home.
Speaking after the sentencing, RSPCA Inspector Laura Barber said: “Boss suffered a prolonged period of pain unnecessarily after a road traffic accident because the defendant failed to accept help despite several pleas. Any owner who sees their dog is in pain or injured should contact a vet promptly and follow veterinary advice regarding treatment.
“For anyone struggling to meet vet bills the RSPCA has advice as well as information about charities that can help with costs at our cost of living support telephone helpline on 0300 123 0650 and an online hub.”