Five-year ban for Fife woman who kept dogs in squalid conditions

FILTHY: Terriers found living while surrounded by their own excrement

A Fife woman who kept three Staffordshire bull terriers in squalid conditions has been banned from owning animals for five years.

Helen Burt, 27, let the dogs live in a filthy home surrounded by their own excrement and failed to take them outside to do the toilet.

At Dunfermline Sheriff Court she pled guilty to a charge under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, after failing to provide the dogs – called Codi, Mali and Shakira – with a suitable environment or to meet their needs at an address in Elder Place, Rosyth, between January 11–25 last year.

The charge detailed how her treatment of the dogs would have caused them psychological suffering and put them at risk of injury and disease.

They were exposed to urine, faeces and household debris including open tin cans and broken furniture.

Burt failed to provide adequate water and ventilation for the animals, left them in an unhygienic environment and failed to allow them to exhibit normal behaviour. She also neglected to take the dogs outside to defecate or urinate.

Burt was banned from keeping animals for five years as she awaits sentence.

She will return to court for sentencing on January 15.

Animal welfare charity Scottish SPCA investigated the case.

Scottish SPCA inspector Sarah Gregory said: “The living environment for these animals was cramped and filthy. The entire property was uninhabitable and appeared to have been used as a kennel rather than a home.

“The smell was an overwhelming stench of ammonia, dirt and faeces that made your eyes water. Faeces was trodden in to the floor with fresh matter on top.

“There was litter and broken furniture throughout the property.”

She said the female dogs, Shakira and Mali, were found in a cage in the living room, with no bedding or resting area.

All of the dogs appeared in good body condition, despite the living environment and high risk of disease due to the contamination in the house.

“Not allowing the dogs adequate opportunities to toilet outside the house meant they would be caused stress and potential mental suffering by having to toilet in the same area as they were confined to for sleeping and eating,” she added.

“Burt did not sign the dogs over into our care which meant that we’ve been caring for them for almost two years.”

Two of the dogs, Mali, left, and Codi, which were kept in cramped and filthy conditions.

The property was found to be uninhabitable.