PACKAGE PET FIRM WORKER SLAMMED BY SSPCA PROFESSIONAL DOGWALKER’S INJURED POOCH DIED IN AGONY AFTER HE FAILED TO GET HER HELP
Animal in‘excruciating pain’had to be put down
A Paisley dog walker has been carpeted after his own pet had to be destroyed when he failed to get help before its wounds turned septic.
John Stokesley was fined £800 by a sheriff following a probe by the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA).
His dog, thought to be a German Shepherd/Rottweiler cross, had be destroyed when it was finally taken to a vet.
The animal was in organ failure from sepsis after a wound discovered on its leg had been left so long the tissue had died and become necrotic and bone was exposed.
She also had a “pus-filled wound” behind her right ear and was so weak she could not lift her head.
Vets said the only hope was to amputate the animal’s leg but deemed her too weak to undergo the life-saving operation.
Stokesley - a professional dog walker, with the Paws ‘n’ Go dog walking service told vets the bitch, named Ziva, had been attacked by another dog in his property.
The 53-year-old admitted causing an animal unnecessary suffering at Paisley
Sheriff Court, after he failed to provide veterinary care.
Vets were forced to destroy the dog, who was just two-years-old, after she succumbed to the leg and ear injuries.
The wounds have become infected and the dog developed sepsis, which the SSPCA say would have caused the animal “considerable pain and distress”.
Animal protection chiefs launched a probe after they were called in by vets.
Scottish SPCA inspector Gillian Dick said: “We were contacted by a veterinary practice after Stokesley presented the dog
there for treatment on 15 November 2019.
“He stated that another dog in the property had attacked Ziva on November 11, 2019.
“The owner informed the practice that Ziva had a few wounds, which he had been bathing and treating at home but that she had stopped eating.
“Ziva was carried into the practice, as she was unable to walk. The vet had to examine Ziva while she lay on the floor as the dog was so weak she could not even lift her head.
“Ziva was extremely dehydrated and also appeared to be in shock. “She had many wounds but the most significant was on her right hind leg.
“The wound was necrotic and so deep that the bone was exposed. She also had a deep, pus-filled wound behind her right ear.
She added: “The veterinarian advised that Ziva was in septic shock and was suffering from multi organ failure.
“Her back leg was so badly infected that it would need to be amputated but because Ziva was so weak she would not survive the anaesthetic and sadly the decision had to be made to euthanise her.
“Stokesley failed to take appropriate action and respond to the urgency of his dog’s condition, which ultimately led to her suffering from excruciating and debilitating injuries, which became so severe that the only option was euthanasia to end her suffering.
“Stokesley stated he was bathing the wound and attempting to treat Ziva at home, showing he was more than aware of the injuries sustained by the dog and that she needed treatment.”
And she blasted the professional animal handler, of Paisley’s Spencer Drive, saying: “He is employed as a dog walker and has responsibility for animals in his care on a daily basis, which makes this incident even more concerning.
“Anyone working in a professional capacity with animals would be expected to have easily recognised the severity of Ziva’s injuries.
“Had he taken swift action at onset of injury and provided his dog with the appropriate veterinary attention, she need not have suffered and may even still be alive and well today.
“We are pleased Stokesley has been fined but disappointed he was not issued with a ban given his employment involves caring for animals on a daily basis.
“We would hope he would think long and hard about his ability to care for animals going forward.”
Stokesley declined to comment when approached by the Express.