Woman left dog to suffer for months after failing to seek vet treatment
17.06.25
A woman from Newcastle has been banned from keeping canines for 18 months after leaving her pet dog with a number of untreated fractures, one of which hadn't been seen by a vet for over a year.
She had previously admitted one Animal Welfare Act offence.
The court was told that RSPCA Inspector Lucy Green visited Hutchinson's flat on September 16 last year after a report was made to the charity by a concerned member of the public, who suggested that a dog was living there with a broken leg and had not received veterinary treatment.
When she arrived at the property the Inspector saw a Yorkshire terrier called Molly holding her front right leg up in the air and the foot appeared to be swinging when she was walking around.
Hutchinson told the Inspector that Molly had been seen by a vet a few months earlier, but she agreed to let the officer take her for urgent treatment.
The court heard that Molly flinched when the vet tried to touch her front right leg. She was given pain relief and monitored overnight until police formally seized the dog and placed her in the care of the RSPCA.
X-rays showed Molly, aged six, had untreated traumatic injuries including fractures to her right front paw and rib fractures on both sides of her body. Her back kneecaps were also dislocating and veterinary treatment had not been sought for this.
In a statement, the vet who examined Molly said: "Metacarpal fractures (in the paw) in dogs are a fairly common fracture and occur due to an external force. Traumatic injuries from falls, motor vehicle accidents and crush injuries can result in these fractures.
"The lack of callous formation/bone reaction around the fracture site on the carpus indicates that this is an old injury, likely more than five months which Molly has been living with.
"Rib fractures in dogs are almost always associated with traumatic events. This can be from falls, crush injuries or most commonly motor vehicle accidents. In this case, some of the fractures are showing signs of healing and are likely to have happened a few months ago.
"Medially luxating patellas are a fairly common orthopaedic condition seen in toy breed dogs. This is often a congenital condition that occurs without any external injury."
Molly's previous veterinary records were checked which showed that the initial injury resulting in the fracture on the right front paw probably occurred around June 2023. The luxating kneecaps were possibly noted around February 2024. The rib fracture occurred around May 2024. In each instance, Hutchinson was advised to return for follow up veterinary appointments and failed to attend these which resulted in Molly suffering.
In addition to the 18-month ban on keeping dogs, Hutchinson was given a 12-month community order and 20 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement Days.
The court also imposed a deprivation order which means that Molly, who has been in the care of a fosterer from the RSPCA's Doncaster, Rotherham and District Branch, can now be legally rehomed.
Speaking after the sentencing hearing, Inspector Lucy Green: "Hutchinson repeatedly ignored the advice of veterinary professionals to bring Molly back for treatment. Any reasonable person would have sought help straight away if their dog was holding up a paw and unable to bear weight but she did nothing to help alleviate Molly's discomfort and suffering."
