Decade-long ban for Shotton woman who’s dog starved to death after being abandoned

A woman has been banned from keeping animals for 10 years, after abandoning terrier dog Benji and leaving him to starve to death at a Deeside property.

Debra Teresa Peet, of Shotton, admitted causing the dog – named Benji – to suffer unnecessarily, with an RSPCA inspector expressing sadness at the “shocking disregard for a fellow living creature”.

Shocking images show the collapsed terrier dog, with bones visible across his skin. He had starved to death, falling amid a pile of rubbish inside the Deeside property, dog excrement was all over the floor of the house.

The body of the dog, who had not been tended to for weeks was found at the property by police after the defendant had moved out, the RSPCA were asked to investigate in November.

In addition to the decade-long animal ban; at Flintshire Magistrates Court on Monday 12 June, Ms Peet was told she must observe a three-month tagged curfew, where she will remain indoors between 8pm and 6am.

She was also given an eight-month community order with rehabilitation and told to pay £200 towards costs, and a £85 victim surcharge.

In all, the defendant pleaded guilty to three Animal Welfare Act offences, including a failure to meet Benji’s needs, and causing him to suffer unnecessarily.

RSPCA inspector Tim Jones said:

Benji’s death is so tragic, and was caused because his own showed such shocking disregard for a fellow living creature. The suffering must have been severe.

The veterinary inspection found this poor dog was malnourished, emaciated and was weighing only 3.3kg.

Owning a dog like Benji is a privilege, and it is heartbreaking to think what he went through after being left to die.

The RSPCA released five extremely distressing pictures of Benji after he was found dead – they have been added to a separate page and can be found by clicking on the image.