Life animal ban for woman who kept seven pets in filthy living conditions

Nicole Stoker (d.o.b. 08/09/1980), of Moorhouse Avenue, Bradford, pleaded guilty to one animal welfare offence after admitting failing to meet the needs of the seven pets when she appeared at Bradford Magistrates Court.

The hearing was told how RSPCA Inspector Rebecca Goulding attended Stoker’s property on April 12 this year following a call to the animal welfare charity’s cruelty line about a number of pets in her care.

Inspector Goulding said: "She advised me that there were five dogs and two cats living in the property; that they were all kept in separate rooms, and that the rooms were unsanitary. Initially, she agreed to open the curtain to the downstairs living room so I could see in. A cane corso type dog came to the window, but behind her, I was able to see that the floor was covered in faeces, such that the original flooring could not be seen."

When Stoker admitted that the rest of the house was in a similar state, the inspector advised that she wanted to search the house as she suspected Animal Welfare Act Offences had been committed, and she was allowed in to look around.

The inspector said: "The first room I entered was the living room in which Nala was kept, as seen through the window it was not possible to see the original flooring for faeces, both fresh and mouldy - also in the room was a sofa that the dog had destroyed, there were a number of black bin liners of rubbish that had been torn open. There were scratch marks on both doors and damage to the plaster of the wall where the dog had got down through to the brick. 

"In the kitchen were two cats, Shadow and Stitch, and a crossbreed dog, Albus, along with a pug in a similar state; the floor was ankle deep with faeces in places. There were a number of large empty dog food bags that appeared to be where the dogs were sleeping, but these too were covered in faeces. All the kitchen surfaces were covered in faeces. 

"Upstairs, the bathroom floor had been pulled up; again, there was a large amount of fresh and mouldy faeces. There was a garden shovel that had been used to pile the faeces up against the bottom of the sink. Stoker advised that a large bulldog called Sky used to be kept there, but was no longer. 

"In the front bedroom, there was a double bed that was soiled with faeces. It was not possible to see the floor in half the room because of rubbish piled up; and to the far side of the room, there was again a large amount of faeces. The cleanest room in the house was Stoker’s  bedroom, which had no faeces anywhere, but was unkempt with household rubbish in it." 

The inspector added that throughout the house, the smell of faeces and ammonia was overpowering and it burnt the back of her throat as she tried not to gag.

All the pets were taken to the RSPCA’s Greater Manchester Animal Hospital and sadly, due to behavioural issues due to lack of socialisation Albus and Cookie had to be euthanised. Nala has since been rehomed and Sky will be made available for rehoming soon. The two brother cats, Shadow and Stitch, are currently looking for a new home together. 

During her interview, Stoker admitted it had been several months since the dogs had been walked, and both cats were house cats - meaning they were all confined in the environment with no respite. She admitted that conditions in the house had deteriorated to this state approximately six months previously. 

Magistrates said the offending fell into the highest category, which would normally result in a custodial sentence. Stoker was given a three-month jail term, suspended for 12 months, and told to complete ten Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days. She was also ordered to pay costs of £250 and a £154 Victim Surcharge at the hearing on November 27.                          

In mitigation, it was said that the defendant was completely out of her depth regarding the number of pets she had obtained and that she had suffered a miscarriage in 2024 and was unable to look after herself and the animals.