A man responsible for a “shocking catalogue of neglect and ill-treatment” of dogs has been banned from owning or keeping animals for more than a decade.
Jay Kenny left seven dogs – four lurchers, a Patterdale terrier and two German shepherds – living in squalid conditions at Blairfordel Farm, Kelty, for more than seven months.
He caused one of the lurchers unnecessary suffering for more than a year by not feeding it properly, causing it to become emaciated, and failing to get it veterinary treatment for a flea infection and dental disease.
Kenny, 30, of Fruix Road near Kinross, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for sentencing this week.
Sheriff Francis Gill told him it was a “shocking catalogue of neglect and ill-treatment of animals” and made a disqualification order preventing Kenny from owning or keeping an animal for 11 years.
The sheriff also sentenced him to 150 hours of unpaid work and offender supervision for a year, as part of a community payback order.
Shocking site described
Scottish SPCA inspector, Stephanie Ross, said: “Kenny was already known to the Scottish SPCA.
“We’d had numerous dealings with him since 2018 due to reports of dogs being kept in poor conditions and his known associations with various individuals who we had previously prosecuted for animal fighting”.
The dogs were located on a plot of land belonging to Kenny.
Ms Ross said they were alerted by police after they attended on an unrelated matter.
“We attended the premises and found that the conditions were deplorable.
“The ground was boggy and littered with hazardous material.
“One dog had taken refuge on top of their wooden kennel and almost resembled a dog stranded on an island.
“All of the areas the dogs were being kept in were heavily soiled with faeces and stank of ammonia.
“What little straw they had for bedding was foul and sodden with urine.
“Six of the seven dogs were under weight and many had visible wounds.
“Most did not even have access to clean drinking water.”
‘Skeletal’ dog
Ms Ross said the two German shepherds coats were “thick with muck and filth”.
One was attached to a three-metre chain and the surrounding ground was worn away in a circular shape, suggesting the dog had been walking in circles for some time.
One German shepherd had access to a “small plastic igloo like structure” which stank of ammonia and could not regulate temperature.
SSPCA officers also noted “skeletal” white and tan lurcher Gus had a severe infestation, with fleas “jumping and weaving in and out of his coat”.
It weighed just 26.5kg and many of its teeth were fractured.
Ms Ross Gus had alopecia, a bacterial skin infection and several wounds – probably self-inflicted through scratching at fleas – in various stages of healing.
Tail amputation
Ms Ross said: “We are glad that Kenny has received a ban.
“The lack of basic care and disregard for animal welfare in this case was disgusting.
“On the day the dogs were seized the temperatures had dropped below freezing.
“Gus was so severely underweight he would have struggled to maintain any kind of body heat in those conditions.
“All of the dogs recovered well in our care and gained weight.
“Sadly, Gus had to have his tail amputated due to the severity of the untreated wound at the tip.”
Kenny previously pled guilty to causing Gus unnecessary suffering between December 1 2020 and December 20 2021.
Kenny admitted a second charge of failing to ensure the welfare of Gus and six other dogs between May 1 and December 20 2021.
‘No harm intended’
Defence lawyer Alexander Flett said his client had not intended harm to any of the animals and had got them because walking them helped his mental health.
He said Kenny had been living in a caravan on site and was sold accommodation for dogs without appreciating it would be considered insufficient room.
He did not realise Gus, an older dog, had such issues.
He said Kenny does not own dogs presently or intend to do so but wants to exercise others, particularly one belonging to his grandmother.
He said: “It’s fair to say he did not intend harm to the dogs – he just was not looking after them properly – (it was) by omission rather than commission.”
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