Prison sentence for owners who starved dog to brink of death
08 Mar 2022 ARCHIVED (over 3 months old) - view latest news
A Blyth couple who starved their dog to the brink of death, in one of the most shocking and high-profile cases of animal cruelty the county has ever seen, has been prosecuted by Northumberland County Council.
On March 3, Kerry Patterson, 35, and Reece Milburn, 30, both of Weardale Avenue, Blyth appeared before North Tyneside Magistrates Court having pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal. They also pleaded guilty to failing to ensure the welfare of their Staffordshire Bull Terrier who also had a skin condition and mite infestation.
They each received a twelve-week custodial sentence and were banned from owning and keeping animals for life. They were also ordered to pay a £120 victim surcharge each.
The female lurcher ‘Tiggy’ was close to death and in a horrific state when she was picked up by Northumberland County Council Animal Welfare Officers in the Cowpen area of Blyth in December 2019 following a call from a member of the public.
She was completely skin and bone and less than half the weight she should have been while also suffering from dehydration, dermatitis and skin infection with mite infestation and severe hair loss. She was so weak she couldn’t stand and had to be carried from the home by an animal welfare officer, who said it was the worst case he had ever come across in his long career.
Initially the couple had contacted the council to tell them they had taken a stray dog in that they had found abandoned in Blyth.
Photos of the emaciated dog which showed every bone in her body were posted on social media as the council’s welfare officers tried to find out who she belonged to so they could investigate them for animal neglect. The images went viral, sending shockwaves around the country and the story hit the national newspapers.
After the appeal went out numerous phone calls and emails were sent to the council saying the two defendants had owned the lurcher dog all along.
Tiggy, as she was named by welfare officers, was taken to Bark Animal Rescue Kennels in Berwick where a foster home provided her with round the clock care as she was nursed lovingly back to health. She received 12 small meals each day and was placed on a special diet to aid her digestion and to limit the chances of overwhelming her compromised system.
Such was the public interest in her story and fight for survival that a TV appearance on ITV programme This Morning followed once she was in better health.
Philip Soderquest, Head of Housing and Public Protection at Northumberland County Council said:
“Our animal welfare team work tirelessly to investigate cases of animal neglect and cruelty and bring the perpetrators to justice. We were absolutely determined that Tiggy’s former owners would have had their day in court and although it has taken two years, today we got the result we were after.
“Thanks to the dedication of the team at Berwick Animal Rescue Centre, Tiggy had a happy ending. She is a picture of health and happiness with a new home, a new life with dog companions, and even a new name.”
Another dog, a male Staffordshire bull terrier named Enzo was also removed from the address and while he wasn’t in the emaciated condition of Tiggy, he was also suffering from neglect and a mite infestation. Enzo is still at B.A.R.K and looking for his forever home.