Oswestry woman banned from keeping animals after leaving blinded labrador to suffer
Abbie the labrador had to be put down after her skin thickened so much that she was barely able to see.
WARNING: This story contains an image some readers may find distressing.
An Oswestry woman has been banned from keeping animals for five years after failing to get treatment for her dog's condition that meant it was barely able to see.
Abbie the black labrador had an untreated skin condition that thickened around her face, and caused eyelids and eye lashes to fold inwards and caused her constant irritation.
Her owner, Lisa Stephanie Crossley, failed to get treatment for her and after an inspection by the RSPCA in 2018, officers decided to put the dog down.
Crossley, 45, of Cherry Tree Drive in Oswestry, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a dog between April 18 and July 14, 2018, and was given a five-year ban from keeping all animals at Telford Magistrates Court last week.
Elephantine skin
Inspector Kate Parker, who was one of those who investigated the incident, described it as one of the most upsetting cases she had ever had to deal with.
The court heard how the animal charity was called to investigation the condition of the dog after a report from a concerned member of the public.
Officers rushed four-year-old Abbie to a vet, where it was found that the skin condition had thickened to the point of being grey and solid, which is known as elephantine skin.
This condition had also caused an extremely uncomfortable condition called entropion, which was affecting the dog’s eyes.
Inspectors said the dog was left in that state between April and July 2018, and they felt that the kindest option was to put the dog to sleep.
WARNING: Distressing image
Inspector Parker said: "Imagine how it feels when you have an eyelash in your eye - this dog had all hers in her eye and couldn’t relieve her own suffering for months - she would have endured constant pain and would have been unable to see. It must have been terrifying for her.
“The vet believes she suffered like this for at least three months however records show she had a skin condition dating back to when she was eight weeks old.
“During interview I asked Crossley how she could just sit at home and watch her dog suffer like that and she told me it was difficult - yet she still didn’t seek veterinary treatment.
"There is never any excuse to not seek veterinary treatment when a pet is clearly in need.”
Crossley was given a ban on keeping all animals for five years and will have to give up her two other dogs and seven cats within 10 days. She was also given a £298 fine and ordered to pay £380 costs.
