Fife man gets decade ban from owning animals

A Fife man whose neglect of a puppy led to its death has been banned from owning animals for a decade.

Sean Burns, 27, left the critically ill nine-month-old German Shepherd with his neighbours while he socialised in Edinburgh on September 9.

Despite receiving phone calls telling him about the pup’s failing health, Burns instructed his neighbours not to seek veterinary treatment.

The dog, called Lexi, died in the early hours of September 10.

When he appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court to be sentenced, he also faced a further charge of behaving in a threatening manner.

Sheriff James Williamson told Burns he had displayed “arrogance and a bullying nature”.

He said: “You have a bad attitude and that attitude brings you back to court.”

The sheriff imposed a community payback order with a requirement of 180 hours of unpaid work.

He also disqualified Burns from keeping animals for the next 10 years.

He warned: “If you breach these orders, prepare yourself to go into custody.”

Burns, who is now staying in Cardenden, admitted causing unnecessary suffering and failing to seek adequate veterinary treatment for Lexi, who was left unable to stand and suffering from internal bleeding.

The labourer had taken the dog to a vet who prescribed painkillers and a lengthy course of antibiotics to treat a painful cut on August 22 last year.

He failed to take her for follow up treatment due to financial issues and the infection took hold of the dog.

Burns also pled guilty to a charge of pushing a teenager on the body, and swearing and making threats of violence, in Strathore Road, Thornton, on July 11, for which he will be sentenced in January.