Woman avoids jail for 'shocking' neglect dog death
The RSPCA said Sian Rees showed "shocking disregard" for the dog
- Published
A woman who caused the death of a dog through neglect has avoided an immediate jail sentence.
Sian Rees, of Wykes Road, Exeter, admitted being responsible for a female bull breed dog called Kimmi and causing the animal to suffer unnecessarily.
Exeter Magistrates' Court heard the 29-year-old caused the death of the dog from a "prolonged period of abandonment and neglect" between December 2023 and January this year.
Rees was jailed for 15 weeks, suspended for 18 months.
'Dogs feel pain'
She was also placed under 18 months supervision, ordered to pay £354 in costs and banned from keeping any animal for 10 years.
RSPCA Inspector Miranda Albinson, who investigated for the animal welfare charity, said: "The circumstances of Kimmi’s death are so tragic, and were caused because her owner showed such shocking disregard for a fellow living creature.
"Owning a dog like Kimmi is a privilege, and it is heartbreaking to think what she went through after being left to die.
"Dogs feel pain and suffering just like we do, and deserve to be shown kindness and compassion.
"If any pet owner is struggling to care for their animal, we’d encourage them to reach out to a local charity or organisation who can help."
Follow BBC Devon on X (formerly Twitter), external, Facebook, external and Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk, external.