Press release: Wednesday, 13 February 2013

A Loughton woman has been banned from keeping animals for life after leaving her three dogs for months in a house crammed with waist high waste.

Dawn Curtis, aged 48, who now lives at Hornbeam Road in Buckhurst Hill was found guilty at Chelmsford Magistrates Court on 12 February of causing unnecessary suffering to a four-year-old collie called Max, a two-year-old male husky called Chase and a three-year-old female husky called Skylar.
 

All three dogs were emaciated and suffering from mange and urine scalding. They were living at a house in Highwood Lane in Loughton in unsanitary conditions with no clean bedding or fresh water available.

Council officials tried unsuccessfully to get Curtis to clear up the mess and the RSPCA was called in when the dogs’ condition deteriorated.

RSPCA inspector Stephen Reeves said: “On entering the property the scene that greeted us was horrendous. It stank of faeces and there wasn’t a single area that hadn’t been soiled.

“The collie had the run of the house but the police had to help me break down a door to get to the huskies who were in a room where the only place they could stand safely was on top of a table partly occupied by a bin.
 

“All the dogs were extremely thirsty and once released were drinking from any source, like a puddle outside, just to satisfy that thirst.

“None of them had been able to attain a basic level of fitness and exhibit normal behaviour.”

Curtis was given a lifetime ban on keeping any animal which she will not be able to appeal for three years, she was ordered to undertake 160 hours of community service
and to pay £550 costs.

If you would like to help the RSPCA to carry out investigations like this please text HELP to 78866 to give £3 (texts cost £3 + one standard network rate message).

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Notes to editors

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