A Buckie woman has been banned from keeping animals for five years after “one of the thinnest dogs” seen by a Scottish SPCA inspector died.
Nine-month-old German shepherd dog Berlin died in the Moray town from inhalation pneumonia in November 2021.
The Scottish SPCA was called after his “emaciated” body was taken to a vet practice and staff decided to raise the alarm.
The puppy’s owner Natalia Piszczyk of Cairnie Place pled guilty to a charge of failure to provide adequate nutrition and veterinary attention for her dog at Elgin Sheriff Court on June 20.
The 20-year-old was banned from keeping animals for five years and ordered to carry out 90 hours of unpaid work following the investigation.
Scottish SPCA inspector could ‘feel all his ribs and pelvic bones’ of Buckie dog
Scottish SPCA officers received a tip-off via their animal helpline on November 16 2021, after the malnourished dog’s body was brought to the vet.
Senior inspector Lesley Crockett described Berlin as “one of the thinnest” dogs she had seen.
She said she could “feel all his ribs and pelvic bones”, his eyes were sunken into his head and there were reddish stains on his paws.
A post-mortem report was released on November 29 2021, showing the cause of Berlin’s death was inhalation pneumonia.
The respiratory condition would have been obvious to the owner, who should have sought veterinary advice.
Berlin would have shown difficulty breathing for at least 48 hours – but potentially as long as several days.
An inspection of Piszczyk’s home in Buckie on December 14 2021, revealed a strong smell of dog urine and faeces and the carpet in the living room was badly stained.
Piszczyk told inspectors that Berlin sometimes didn’t eat his food, so she would soak it in water. However, she did not see anything wrong with the pup at the time.
‘Berlin was subjected to unnecessary suffering’
The Scottish SPCA believes a longer ban should have been given to Piszczyk given the “suffering Berlin endured”.
In a statement, Inspector Crockett said: “The dog was in an emaciated condition and I could feel all his ribs and pelvic bones – he was one of the thinnest dogs I have seen. His eyes were sunken into his head and there was reddish staining on his paws.
“Berlin was subjected to unnecessary suffering and his subsequent respiratory failure caused him pain and distress that ultimately led to his death.
“We are pleased that Piszczyk received a ban however, given the suffering Berlin endured we would have liked it to be for a longer period of time.
“We hope she seriously considers her ability to look after any animal in the future.”
If anyone is concerned about an animal, contact the Scottish SPCA’s confidential animal helpline on 03000 999 999.
