Dog cruelty care worker is struck off
A Plean care assistant convicted of starving her pet dog to the brink of death has been struck off.
Fiona Cuthill was convicted at Stirling Sheriff Court in June last year of an offence contrary to the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006. She was fined £500 and banned from owning pets for 10 years.
Cuthill has now been banned from holding a care position after being brought before a Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) Fitness to Practise Panel impairment hearing this week.
At Stirling Sheriff Court last year she admitted to causing the Staffordshire bull terrier, named Snoop, unnecessary suffering between July and November 2015.
Between July 16 2015 and November 16 2015 she failed to provide the dog with appropriate and adequate food and water whereby it became severely emaciated and dehydrated.
Following her court appearance, she failed to notify her employer, William Simpson’s care home in Plean, and Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) of her conviction.
SSPCA inspectors were tipped off about Snoop’s condition after reports that he was‘thin and shaking and looked like he was dying’.
When the inspector arrived they found the dog in an extremely thin condition with all of his bones, especially his ribs and pelvic bones, clearly visible.
The inspector said:“He was in a semi-collapsed state and was only able to stand with difficulty when lifted. It was clear Snoop needed immediate veterinary attention and as he was barely able to walk I had to carry him to my van.”
It was the vet’s view that, due to the level of dehydration, without water the dog would likely have died within a few days, and with water death would have occurred within two weeks due to starvation. The dog went on to make a full recovery.
Cuthill was struck off at the conclusion of the hearing on Tuesday afternoon.
The Fitness to Practise Panel found that Cuthill’s fitness to practise is impaired and removed her from the Register which means she is no longer able to work in the sector.
Full details of the decision will be published within 14 days and Cuthill has 14 days to appeal.