The Body Condition Of The Owner Isn't As Low...

...the moral condition, well, that's quite another matter:

The body condition of both dogs was scored at one out of nine on a scale used by vets, the worst rating possible.

The pictures make me want to have five minutes in a locked room with the 'woman' concerned...

The court heard Barlow began caring for the dogs when her ex-partner was jailed.

Lovely!

She told Inspector Smith her then partner’s mother had initially looked after the dogs, but Barlow had been forced to take over when she was hospitalised in July last year. Barlow said Booma had not been eating but admitted not taking them to see a vet or calling the RSPCA.

But maybe I'm too hasty? Maybe she didn't have the resources to fe...

Oh.

Mr Mitchell said the defendant also had her own dog, another male Staffie called Chaos, which appeared well fed and in good condition, and supplies of dog food were found in the kitchen.

She hasn't gone short of any meals either.

Scott Phillips, representing Barlow, told the court his client, a chef in a local restaurant, accepted full responsibility for the deaths of both dogs. He said: “She knows she is going to lose her own dog as well and that will destroy her.”

If only that wasn't meant figuratively.

Judge Shaw said: “The picture described of Bandit curled up unresponsive by his dead friend is a very sad one.” He sentenced Barlow to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for one year, and ordered her to complete a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement course.

*sighs*

She was also banned from keeping animals for five years and ordered to surrender Chaos to the RSPCA.

Poor beast had a lucky escape.