Shropshire couple left dog with broken leg in boot of car
A husband and wife from Shropshire have been found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to a dog, which was found with a broken leg and surrounded by faeces and urine in the boot of a car.
Ben and Alexandra Evans failed to turn up at Telford Magistrates Court on Thursday and the case was proved in their absence.
Mr Roger Price, prosecuting, said the RSPCA received calls from members of the public who said they suspected an injured dog was at the Evans’ address.
An inspector visited the property, in Pigeon Door, Condover, near Shrewsbury, on November 26 last year and the lurcher dog, Chico, was found in the boot of a car.
Mr Price said the dog was ‘trembling’, appeared to be in pain and had wounds to its leg.
He said faeces and urine were also found in the boot along with some dog food and a washing-up bowl with water inside.
Alexandra Evans told the inspector that the dog belonged to her and her husband and they had only owned the animal since the previous day.
However, Mr Price said Alexandra Evans had reported a dog missing on November 12 last year and the RSPCA believed it was the same animal.
After the report was made, the dog warden received numerous calls from people who believed they had seen the animal and noticed it looked thin and was limping.
Mr Price said Alexandra Evans allowed the inspector to take the dog to see a vet and signed the animal over to the RSPCA on November 30 last year, despite initially refusing to do so.
When the vet saw Chico, he said the animal was in poor body condition.
Mr Price said: “The dog yelped, cried and moved away during the examination.”
He said X-rays showed the dog had a broken elbow and a tension pin had to be fitted in surgery.
Chico also had a deep laceration to his leg.
Mr Price told the court: “This is a charge that relates to a lurcher type dog.
“It is a case of unnecessary suffering being caused to the dog.
“The dog plainly should have been taken to a vet because it had a broken leg and infected wounds.
“The vet indicated in his report that the animal was clearly suffering.”
He said an inspector from the RSPCA had called the couple in December last year to request that they come in for an interview, but the pair refused.
Despite their non-attendance at court, magistrates found the defendants had each caused unnecessary suffering to the dog by failing to provide veterinary treatment for a broken leg.
They issued a warrant for the couple, who will have to come to Telford Magistrates Court on a future date to be sentenced.
