A man from Caerphilly was disqualified from keeping all animals for five years after he caused unnecessary suffering to two kittens and a neglected bearded dragon last year.
The case has been highlighted by the RSPCA after it released its annual prosecution statistics for 2015.
Complaints totalling 9,895 were investigated across Wales, with 570 specific to Caerphilly County Borough – the fifth highest in Wales.
One kitten and a bearded dragon were found dead in the man’s home, along with another live kitten, which was thin, very weak, and flea-ridden.
RSPCA inspector Sophie Daniels said: “Sadly this is just a case of where someone just can’t afford their pets and also have no clue on how to care for them and their specialist needs.
“Anyone thinking of getting a pet, especially something like a bearded dragon, needs to research what is required to care for them properly before taking one on. As well as making sure they’ve got a suitable living environment, it also includes the long term time and financial commitment needed to look after them.”
Within a month the rescued cat, called Charlie, went from 835g to 1.47kg and responded well to flea treatment. He has now been re-homed.
• Jordan Prosser, 21, of Graham Court, Lansbury Park, Caerphilly, admitted four charges under the 2006 Animal Welfare Act when he appeared at Newport Magistrates’ Court in August last year.
Prosser, who was unemployed, said he had noticed the kittens were losing weight, but did not have enough money to feed them.
He also admitted to not having enough money to pay for electricity for his bearded dragon’s heat lamp and did not check on the reptile, called Lizzie, for a number of weeks.
He was banned from keeping any kind of animal for five years, ordered to go on an animal welfare course, and told to pay prosecution costs of £340 and a victim surcharge of £60.
All and any person convicted of animal crualty offences should be named and shamed. Why is the Observer offering anonimity to this cretin.? The editor names and shames anyone convicted of dropping a toffee paper or fails to clean up after a dog has attended to a call of nature, but not someone who starves a pet to death, perhaps it is because there is no sycophantic benefit in doing so, and no Caerphilly Council Cabinet Member to quote ” that the resident fined for this or that deserves it”.
Dear “Reformed Welsh Nationalist”,
Our initial report came from information provided by the RSPCA, who did not hold the defendant’s name at time of publication yesterday.
Today, we have been able to look up the details of the case with information provided by the court and we have updated the article accordingly.
Many thanks for reading. I always enjoy your critique of what we do – it keeps us on our toes.
Richard Gurner
Editor
RSPCA to those in the know of animal welfare are not helpful fact .
Any information gain from the RSPCA should be taken with a pinch of salt and regarded as propaganda to suit their needs .