Ban on the woman who left a hungry puppy dead in the crate

Eight-month-old chihuahua-shih tzu hybrid Joey died of starvation

RSPCA A small black dog with brown eyes sits on the tiled floor. — Eight-month-old chihuahua-shih tzu hybrid Joey died of starvation

A woman who starved her eight-month-old puppy to death and left it dead in a crate has been banned from keeping animals indefinitely.

Dazie Howe, 25, initially claimed the pet, a female chihuahua-shih tzu cross, was not hers and that she was “surprised” to find a dog in her garden by RSPCA inspectors.

The RSPCA said it found the animal had endured “severe pain” for at least a month and was found to be weak and lying in feces.

Howe, of Lascelles Place in Goldsborough, near Knaresborough, admitted animal cruelty at an earlier hearing and was given an 18-month community order along with the ban and was fined £334 at York Magistrates’ Court on November 1.

Magistrates were told RSPCA inspector Rowena Proctor visited Howe’s home on February 18 and found the dog dead, with its ribs, pelvis and spine sticking out.

In her written statement, Ms Proctor wrote: “Before I even explained why I was there Howe immediately started saying ‘that dog isn’t mine, I don’t even know if it is a dog or how it got there but my dog is dead and that’s not it.’

“While I was taking pictures, Ms. Howe stood next to me and explained how her dog, Joey, had died at the vet and asked me if the ‘thing’ in the crate was a dog.”

How hid the dead puppy in a locked chest in his garden, the court heard

RSPCA Behind a black bin can be seen a black trunk half covered with green. The chest is placed in front of a red brick wall and a wooden door is visible to the right. — How hid the dead puppy in a locked chest in his garden, the court heard

The court heard Howe insisted the dog did not belong to him and that the RSPCA could “keep it”, despite a microchip showing he was the dog’s registered owner.

When questioned about the dirty crate, Howe told the investigator that the wind had blown away a bag of feces he had taken to the shed, scattering the waste around.

The breeder’s photos were later seized from Howe’s cell phone and showed Joey as “an alert puppy with shiny fur.”

“Joey was a small dog who was not yet fully grown and only needed a small amount of nutrition to keep him alive,” Ms Proctor said.

He said he wasn’t given food and couldn’t fend for himself because he was locked in his crate.

Howe later pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal and was told he could not appeal a 10-year ban on owning an animal.

In accordance with the community order, he will have to carry out 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

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