Northampton man banned from keeping animals for 10 years after causing puppy ‘unnecessary suffering’

A Northampton man had been convicted of two animal welfare offences after he failed to get adequate care for a puppy.

Vince Shelton, of Birchfield Road East, was tried in his absence at Northampton Magistrates Court on March 1 and was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering and failing to meet the welfare needs of a male Cane Corso puppy named Arturo.

Shelton failed to provide adequate or effective professional veterinary care and attention for a fracture and damaged dew claw of Arturo’s left hind leg.

The RSPCA had been contacted after the puppy had been diagnosed with a fracture on his tibia and the owner had failed to return to the vets with the puppy for further treatment - despite follow up calls.

RSPCA Inspector Helen Smith attended a location with the police in March last year and the puppy was seized by the police.

Arturo was alert and responsive but was not fully weight bearing on his hind leg and had no dressing on his injury.

A vet who examined the puppy said in their professional opinion the failure to seek further veterinary care caused Arturo unnecessary pain and suffering.

Speaking after the case Inspector Smith said: “The defendant had failed to protect Arturo from pain, injury and suffering due to him not following appropriate veterinary advice for the fracture of the left tibia.

“As a result of the lack of treatment the vet reported that the dew claw on the left hind appeared to have discharge from it and it was damaged and coming away from the leg at the base.

“As a pet owner we all have a responsibility to protect our pets and to get veterinary treatment if they are suffering - as in this incident poor Arturo would have suffered as a result of such a serious injury.”

On March 21, Shelton was sentenced and fined £500 for both offences, ordered to pay £100 costs and a victim surcharge of £50.

He was also disqualified from keeping all animals for 10 years.

A deprivation order was made regarding Arturo and also a second puppy. Both were signed over to RSPCA care and Arturo has made a full recovery.