Dog owner jailed for cruelty after leaving chihuahuas tied up outside supermarket

Stephen Hopkinson, 39, of Southwood Avenue, Fleetwood, was found guilty of three animal welfare offences and sentenced at Lancaster Magistrates’ Court last November. At that hearing Hopkinson was banned from keeping dogs indefinitely following the prosecution brought by the RSPCA.

Now his appeal against conviction and sentence jhas been heard at Preston Crown Court but the bench dismissed the appeal and sentenced him to four weeks immediate custody.

His indefinite ban from keeping dogs was reduced to five years which he can not appeal before 12 months and his £500 costs from the magistrates hearing was upheld. He was ordered to pay a £96 victim surcharge and a deprivation order was passed for both dogs which will allow the RSPCA to find them a new home.

The court heard how the RSPCA’s investigation began after Inspector Amy McIntosh collected the two dogs from a member of the public who had rescued them after she found them tied up outside a supermarket. She immediately noticed that Mylo, a male tan chihuahua type, had a skin condition. His skin was thickened, pink, flaky, scabby and bleeding on his legs, feet, stomach, chest and genital area. He also had obvious fur loss and pinkness around his eyes and nose. He was biting and scratching at his skin and it was obviously irritating him.

Lilly, a black and white female chihuahua had very smelly breath due to dental issues but otherwise looked in normal body condition.

Inspector McIntosh took the dogs to a vet who examined them and prescribed Mylo with flea and skin treatments and a shampoo to help fight the infection in his skin. The vet concluded Mylo had been suffering from his skin disease for at least three to six months. Lilly needed an urgent dental procedure to remove loose teeth as she had dental disease.

Both dogs were microchipped which enabled the inspector to establish that Hopkinson was the owner of the pets.

The court heard how, when Hopkinson was questioned the following day, he told Inspector McIntosh he had returned to the supermarket to get the dogs that morning. This meant that had the dogs not been removed by the passer-by they would have potentially been tied up outside for nearly 24 hours.

Following a trial last year, Hopkinson was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to Mylo, failing to meet Lilly’s needs and failing to meet both dogs’ needs by leaving them unattended for an extended period without adequate care and supervision.

After the appeal hearing Inspector Mcintosh said: “I’m really pleased with the outcome of this case. These dogs have been in our care for such a long time now. They are lovely friendly little dogs and I’m so pleased they will now be able to find the new home they deserve.”