Longtown man's dog Sheba rescued by RSPCA in terrible state

The shocking details of the conditions in which Sheba the German Shepherd was kept were revealed in a Carlisle court yesterday as the dog’s former owner was prosecuted for causing it unnecessary suffering.

William McCulloch, 42, admitted two offences.

Steven Marsh, prosecuting for the RSPCA, said concerns were first raised on November 16 last year when a rescue officer from the charity visited Billy’s Carpets, at an industrial unit at Sandysike, near Longtown.

“Sheba was tethered outside the unit and in the officer’s view looked lean,” said Mr Marsh. The dog’s kennel was dilapidated, its entry point chewed and frayed, providing little protection from the elements.

Pitiful: Sheba was almost half her normal body weight, the court heard.

“The officer also noted there was no bedding and [carpet shop staff] told him the dog chewed its bedding. The shop assistant was advised that straw could be used as an alternative. He said he'd tell the dog’s owner.”

The dog’s bowl was also empty and the assistant duly filled it with water.

On December 2, said Mr Marsh, RSPCA inspector Chris Towler visited the site and found that the dog was by this stage emaciated, the outline of its ribs and other major bones clearly visible through its skin.

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Its fur was heavily matted and dirty.

Consequently, the dog was seized and examined by a vet. Its weight was 14.8kg and its body condition assessed as just 1 on a nine-point scale. “The results were indicative of malnutrition over a long period,” said Mr Marsh.

Sheba was also anaemic.

“In my opinion," concluded the vet, "this dog has undergone a degree of suffering due to malnutrition; and she would have been susceptible to secondary diseases. " The suffering had persisted for at least a month, said the vet.

After being rescued, and rehomed, Sheba’s weight normalised, eventually reaching 26.85kg by March of this year, the court heard. McCulloch said he had owned Sheba for 14 months, since she was a puppy.

He claimed he asked workers at the carpet shop to feed his dog. McCulloch admitted causing unnecessary suffering by not properly feeding his dog; and by not providing the her with a suitably comfortable and clean environment.

Happy ending: Sheba is now a happy, healthy dog. Pictures courtesy of the RSPCA.

Andrew Gurney, defending, said the defendant was battling with serious mental health issues when he committed the offences.

“Mr McCulloch had been married for 25 years and had a business, owned by his wife, and he was doing very, very well for himself,” said the lawyer. “But his wife abruptly ended their marriage and he was forced out of the family home.”

The defendant - now with no fixed address - had nowhere to keep his dog and so his son agreed that it could be housed next to his carpet business and that it could be used as a guard dog while living there.

“It was to be tethered and cared for by the carpet shop staff,” said Mr Gurney.

“He was a broken man and hadn't expected his marriage to end as it did. He was suffering suicidal ideation and not coping day to day with looking after himself, let alone with looking after the dog.

"He thought he'd taken appropriate steps to look after the dog. But he accepts the ultimate responsibility was his.”

Mr Gurney added that McCulloch had cooperated fully with the RSPCA investigation and immediately when asked he had signed Sheba over so that she could be rehomed. The lawyer added: “He is truly remorseful.”

After hearing the details, magistrates gave McCulloch a 12-month community order, with 180 hours of unpaid work in the community. He must pay costs of £400 and a £95 victim surcharge.

Magistrates banned McCulloch from keeping any animal for a decade, though he can apply for that restriction to be lifted after five years. After the case, Mr Towler said he noted the defendant’s difficult personal circumstances.

“But there’s no excuse in today’s world to have a dog in that condition," said the inspector. "The right thing to do was to seek help. It’s galling that one of our officers visited the site a month before Sheba was found in that condition."

Mr Towler added that Sheba was now in the care of new owners, who "absolutely adored" her and were giving her loving care.

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