Northamptonshire man sentenced for leaving his two dogs to starve

Danny Gee Cohen, of Keats Drive, Towcester, Northamptonshire, was today (Friday November 6) sentenced at Corby Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to one count of causing unnecessary suffering to the two husky-Rottweiler crossbreed dogs named Conan and Cailen.

As well as the ban, Cohen was given a 12-month community order consisting of 200 hours of unpaid work, and ordered to pay costs of £2,664.62.

The RSPCA was called in June this year after concerns from a member of the public about the two emaciated dogs – both aged around three – who were being kept in a pen outside of the caravan where he was living at Kingshill Farm in Syresham, Brackley. One of the dogs had collapsed on the floor.

RSPCA inspector Susan Haywood, who investigated the case, said: “Conan was in such a severely collapsed state that he was put on a drip as soon as he was taken to the vets.

“The vet’s opinion was that there was no underlying health issues and that both the dogs’ emaciation was purely down to malnutrition and lack of food.

“Cohen admitted that he did not feed them as often as he should because he could not afford to, and that there were some days when he did not feed them at all. He recognised that they were very thin but did not do anything about it. That is not what a responsible pet owner does.”

Both of the dogs are now in a new home.

Insp Haywood said: “Conan and Cailen would have suffered a great deal, not knowing when they would be getting their next meal. If this had been left much longer then there is a chance these two dogs would not be here today. Thankfully, they are now in a happy and loving home.

“Food is a basic requirement for an animal to live and if someone cannot afford to feed their pet then they need to think about rehoming them or asking for help before it gets to the stage which Conan and Cailen got to.”