He has been banned from keeping animals for 10 years and given a suspended prison sentence after he pleaded guilty to animal welfare offences
An East Yorkshire man has been banned from keeping animals after failing to provide medical care for injured puppies, instead letting them suffer for days. Owen Batty, of Humber Villas, Paull, was sentenced at Hull Magistrates’ Court last Wednesday (November 19).
He admitted two offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal after an investigation and prosecution by the RSPCA. Batty was handed a suspended prison sentence and a ten-year ban on keeping animals.
The court heard that the dogs suffered injuries while under Batty’s care at his former address in Hull, and were clearly in pain. Batty failed to promptly seek veterinary help for head wounds on one puppy, or follow professional advice he had been given regarding a leg fracture on another.
The RSPCA got involved in the case after concerns were raised about a male bully type puppy named Major, who sadly had to be put to sleep after Batty brought him to a vet in November 2022 in a poor state of health. The five-month-old dog, unable to stand, was vomiting blood clots and had head wounds and blood-tinged saliva.
The court heard that the vet had concerns about Major’s condition and the delay in presenting him for treatment. Batty, who had been Major’s owner for roughly six weeks, claimed he discovered the puppy collapsed at the bottom of the stairs after noticing he was unsteady on his legs the day before bringing him to the clinic.
Magistrates heard that Batty had been treating Major for a skin infection on his forehead for several weeks – an ailment Batty believed was caused by a cat scratch – using antiseptic ointment from a pet shop.
X-rays were conducted, but due to the state of the puppy’s body, which had been frozen by this time, it was difficult to determine if there were any injuries. The police seized the body as evidence, which was later returned to the RSPCA.
During the investigation, the charity learned of another bully breed puppy named Ghost, who had been brought to a PDSA clinic with a confirmed spiral fracture of the right hind leg.
Batty, who had owned the 13-week-old puppy for two weeks, claimed the injury happened when Ghost fell off his bed. However, there were doubts about the cause of the injury and concerns that Batty was not following veterinary advice regarding the dog’s ongoing care.
An RSPCA officer visited Batty’s home and saw the puppy, which was subsequently seized by the police on animal welfare grounds. Magistrates heard that Batty had failed to implement reasonable safeguards to prevent Ghost from tumbling or leaping from the bed.
Additionally, he had neglected to arrange routine preventative healthcare, including ensuring the pups received full vaccinations and worming treatments. A veterinary expert who provided written testimony stated that Major had endured suffering for a minimum of five days, potentially longer, due to Batty’s failure to seek swift veterinary care for his head injuries.
The vet explained that Ghost had suffered for three days because the defendant had not adhered to veterinary guidance regarding his ongoing treatment, including continued pain management. During his interview with RSPCA Inspector Laura Barber, Batty told the officer that Major had sustained injuries while “play fighting” with another dog and Ghost had hurt his leg after tumbling from his bed, which he described as a “common thing” for puppies to experience.
He claimed he did not believe there was anything more he could have done for the animals and insisted he hadn’t purchased them for profit but wanted to keep them as pets.
Batty, who cannot challenge his disqualification order for five years, received a 26-week prison sentence suspended for 18 months. He was also ordered to complete 20 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement Days, 150 hours of unpaid work and pay costs of £400 and a victim surcharge of £154.
A woman involved in the case, who also admitted to two animal welfare offences, was handed the same sentence when she appeared in court in May this year.
Sadly, Ghost was identified as an XL Bully and had to be put to sleep to comply with government legislation.
Following the sentencing, Inspector Barber said: “It was incredibly concerning that both puppies became injured in a short space of time and veterinary treatment was not sought or followed by the defendant. I’d like to thank everyone who assisted with this case and helped us to take this investigation forward.”