Cruel family left sick dog to suffer for over a year; Trio banned from keeping animals after pet lost hair

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), March 19, 2008

Byline: By KERRY WOOD

A FAMILY have been forced to hand over their pets after admitting animal cruelty.

The three relatives from South View in Tantobie, near Stanley, pleaded guilty when they appeared before Durham magistrates.

Norman Oyston, 57, his son Andrew, 30, and daughter Angela, 28, were each charged with causing unnecessary suffering to their German Shepherd dog Kai, just one of the family pets.

Their neglect has meant they have also had to hand over their 13-year-old cat, rabbits and canaries.

RSPCA officers started an investigation after a member of the pubic tipped them off about Kai's condition.

Officers said between July 23 last year and September 23, the Oystons failed to take the dog to the vet's for treatment of a skin allergy and infection, and had not provided it with adequate flea control.

Although the family said they tried over-the-counter remedies and shampoos the dog had been living with the irritating condition for more than a year.

As a result it had lost all its hair except on its head, chest and part of its legs. The court heard Kai's skin had thickened and its nails had grown so long they'd curled under its feet making it impossible to walk properly.

In a statement read out by Clive McKeag, for the prosecution, Norman Oyston admitted he should have done more.

He said: "Yes I think I should have gone to the vet.

"We started using natural treatments and that kept it at bay but then Kai got fleas and that made it worse."

Mr McKeag said the trio each could have taken the dog to the vet and didn't.

The court heard the RSPCA taking control of the dog had resulted in a vet bill of pounds 1,523 and a boarding bill of pounds 1,145.

Addressing the magistrates directly Oyston senior told them his wife had suffered a massive brain haemorrhage three years ago and now needs 24-hour care at their home.

He added: "As I say things got left, I apologise profusely. It was a mistake, I have had animals all my life and this has been one mistake."

Sentencing the family, chairman of the bench, Roy Simpson banned them from keeping animals for five years and imposed a two year conditional discharge on all of them.

They were also ordered to pay costs of pounds 465 each.

CAPTION(S):

NEGLECT: Kai the German Shepherd had little hair and couldn't walk properly