Thankfully, the dog is now acting ‘like a puppy’ again and is ‘thriving’
Dakota the Shih tzu was living in “daily pain” due to her eye condition, which was left untreated(Image: RSPCA)
A dog that was suffering so badly with multiple conditions that it had to have both of its eyes removed has been rehomed and is now acting “like a puppy” again. Donna Marie Joanna Hickton, 57, was handed a suspended prison sentence earlier this month after failing to get treatment for Dakota the Shih tzu.
In a prosecution by the RSPCA, Hickton, of Hawkins Drive, Preston, initially pleaded not guilty to two offences relating to Dakota’s care, but changed her plea on the first day of a trial in June, after the second offence was dropped. She appeared at Hull Magistrates’ Court earlier this month for sentencing. She pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and failing to seek a vet’s help in relation to the dog’s eye condition, ear condition, dental disease and skin disease.
In December last year, a second woman, Elizabeth Ann Tidswell, 68, of The Quorum, west Hull, pleaded guilty and was handed an eight-week suspended sentence for her involvement in failing to seek vet care for Dakota. She was also banned from keeping animals indefinitely and ordered to pay costs of £400 and a £154 victim surcharge.
The court heard a vet who examined Dakota found her to be suffering from multiple chronic conditions – one of which had left her blind. RSPCA officers first became aware of Dakota in July 2025 when they visited an address in Hull following reports of a ‘matted, scratching’ dog with an ‘eye bulging out’. The second woman brought Dakota out to see the officer and stated that she’d been looking after her for a year but that she belonged to Hickton.
RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer (ARO) Emily Lomas said in her witness statement: “She explained that Dakota was blind. [She] had bilateral cherry eye, which she was excessively scratching with her paw, her skin appeared very yeasty and flakey, matted all over her body, horrendously bad smelling breath.” ARO Lomas asked to see where Dakota lived and couldn’t see any drinking water. The RSPCA officer asked to take Dakota to see a vet, who found she was suffering from “multiple untreated chronic conditions”. They signed a certificate stating that Dakota was suffering – and Police seized her and put her into the RSPCA’s care.
In her witness statement, the vet said: “Both eyes had significant yellow discharge which was matted into the hair under the eyes. This signifies a long history of conjunctivitis. [A test] confirmed dry eye to be present (a lack of tear production). There was significant scarring on the front of the eye, likely due to previous repeated untreated corneal ulcers following a lack of tear production … It was determined that the patient was blind. Both eyes had prolapsed third eyelid cartilage (cherry eyes).”
Dakota’s eyes were half shut and vets said they would have been “significantly painful” and irritated. The vet estimated that Dakota had been suffering with her eye condition for at least 18 months, and “probably longer”. The vet said: “On examination of the mouth… significant dental disease was present, with fur matted around the base of the teeth. Multiple teeth needing extraction, with multiple incisors wobbling when probed. The condition of the oral cavity at examination would have been causing significant discomfort to [Dakota].”
Vets tried to check her ears, which had yellow discharge coming from them, and a “smell of yeast”. She also had “greasy” matted fur, dry skin and flea dirt present. The dog needed to have a large number of teeth removed under anesthetic. She also had to have her ears cleaned and treated. She also required a deep clean and groom and medicated baths for her skin. Dakota was already blind but the eye conditions were incredibly painful so the decision was made to remove both eyes.
Hickton was sentenced to an eight-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. She was also ordered to rehome three dogs and a cat in her care and was disqualified from keeping animals for five years. She was ordered to pay a £400 contribution towards court costs and a £154 victim surcharge.
In mitigation, the court heard that Hickton had handed Dakota over to the care of another woman to help with loneliness and that she was unaware of the extent of the dog’s health problems. Magistrates also heard that Hickton struggled with poor health and said her dogs were ‘her life’ and her ‘emotional support animals’.
Speaking after the sentencing, RSPCA Inspector Laura Barber – who investigated the case – said: “Poor Dakota was living in daily pain due to painful eye conditions, ear and skin infections and dental disease which are relatively normal issues for older pets and can be easily managed and treated by vets. But, sadly, she’d been left for a long time without any treatment and was also living in wholly unsuitable, filthy conditions. Dakota was signed over into our care during our investigation and was rehabilitated by one of our branches before being rehomed. She’s doing really well in her new home and acts like a puppy, despite her age! She’s a happy, sweet, friendly little dog who is thriving, and we’re so pleased we were able to find her a fresh start.”
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