Men jailed after ducks left in filthy conditions

TWO men have been jailed after ducks were found in filthy conditions at an allotment.

RSPCA officers found a number of dead birds at the site in Gilfach Goch, in Rhondda Cynon Taf, and many of the surviving animals had not been fed properly.

Chase English, 31, and Dean Evans, 37, from Gilfach Goch, both pleaded guilty to three Animal Welfare Act offences concerning the birds.

They were both jailed for 16 weeks each and banned indefinitely from keeping domestic fowl. Both were also told to pay a £115 victim surcharge.

When RSPCA Cymru officers visited the allotment they found birds kept in “deeply inappropriate conditions, and many appearing very hungry”.

Both men were responsible for the birds as part of an agreement reached concerning the stocking of an allotment they were jointly responsible for.

It is believed the men failed to communicate effectively about who would provide day-to-day care for the fowl, which led to “shocking levels” of neglect.

A number of birds which were not subject to this investigation were found dead at the allotment but were not viable for post-mortem examination.

Three dead birds, however, were taken for a post-mortem examination and formed part of the case, while a further bird died in veterinary care.

The men admitted causing unnecessary suffering to 17 domestic fowls, by failing to ensure they had a nutritionally balanced diet. English, of Gelliarael Road, and Evans, of Kenry Street, also pleaded guilty to failing to meet the needs of 20 domestic fowls, including a failure to provide a suitable environment, and a suitable diet.

RSPCA inspector Simon Evans said: “These poor domestic fowl were left in hugely inappropriate conditions, and subjected to shocking levels of neglect.

“Animals should not be kept in an allotment-setting unless they can be provided with appropriate levels of care and a suitable environment – yet the two men in this case failed spectacularly to do this.

“Owning animals is a privilege – but these two men failed to effectively communicate who was providing these birds with the day-to-day care they so desperately needed.

“Thankfully, we have been able to secure the future wellbeing of the birds that were still alive as part of this case, with them all signed over into RSPCA care and re-homed.

“Both men have been banned indefinitely from keeping domestic fowl, and will serve a prison sentence due to their appalling treatment of animals.”