Bradford woman banned from keeping animals for life

Sherry Skillen, 62, of Beauvais Drive, in Riddlesden, Keighley was sentenced at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates’ Court last Friday for animal cruelty offences in relation to her 14-year-old poodle cross, Merlin.

She pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal and failing to carry out the duty of a person responsible for an animal to ensure welfare.

Louise Freeman, prosecuting, described it as a “grave case of prolonged neglect causing severe and avoidable suffering”.

The court heard rescue volunteers from Aireworth Dogs in Need visited Skillen’s home on June 29 last year after unsuccessful attempts to make contact.

Skillen answered the door and refused access, according to Ms Freeman.

Merlin was at the bottom of the stairs and had not moved for a couple of days – when he was provided water, he lifted his head and drank for several minutes.

Ms Freeman warned the court that the evidence was “upsetting” and said Merlin was taken to the vets where he collapsed.

The court heard the elderly dog’s hair was matted, he was dehydrated and blind in both eyes.

Ms Freeman spoke in court about evidence from Dr Samantha Johnson, who said Merlin had to be carried to the clinic because he “couldn’t stand or walk”.

Merlin sadly had to be euthanised due to his condition (Image: RSPCA)

She added Merlin’s entire coat was matted, covered in dirt and faeces, and was “infested with an unknown amount of fleas”.

The prosecutor said, in addition, Merlin’s eyes had peeled away from the sockets, he had a lesion to the neck and anaemia.

It took four hours to remove Merlin’s matted hair, who had to be sedated during the process, and staff had to wear full PPE because “fleas were jumping on them”, the court heard.

Ms Freeman told the court Dr Johnson said it “was one of the worst cases of matting – full infestation and dermatitis – she had seen in her career”.

Merlin sadly had to be euthanised due to his condition (Image: RSPCA)

Merlin showed minimum response while at the clinic and took one step and collapsed.

He was euthanised on “welfare grounds” the following day.

The court heard Merlin would have required further treatment and a prolonged hospital stay, so a decision was made to put him down as the “fairest outcome” – Merlin continued to suffer until he was euthanised.

Dr Johnson determined that Merlin suffered physically and mentally for months, “likely longer”.

He had not been seen by a vet for more than a decade, since 2015.

Ms Freeman said Merlin’s suffering was “entirely preventable” if he had been given “timely vet care”.

Merlin sadly had to be euthanised due to his condition (Image: RSPCA)

The court heard that Skillen admitted Merlin had collapsed and had suffered.

Ms Freeman said Skillen claimed she “couldn’t afford vet treatment but accepted she could have prioritised Merlin”.

He was not groomed appropriately or watered, the court heard.

Ms Freeman said the offence was aggravated by the neglect being “prolonged” and the suffering “extreme and all encompassing”.

She added that Skillen “should have prioritised Merlin and vet treatment should have been sought”.

Merlin sadly had to be euthanised due to his condition (Image: RSPCA)

Skillen, who was in floods of tears in court, said she works in engineering but has been off sick since February and agreed her life is “up and down”.

She added: “I’ll just regret it for the rest of my life.”

Chair of the Magistrates, Peter Haigh, said: “Sometimes the worst thing you can do with a problem is bury it.”

He added: “It’s all well and good saying it in hindsight.”

Skillen was handed a 40-week jail sentence, suspended for a year.

She was also disqualified from having any animal for life.

This means she cannot own, transport, keep and participate in the keeping of any animals, or be party to any arrangement under which she is entitled to control or influence the way in which animals are kept.

Skillen said she sometimes dog-sits and Mr Haigh replied, “no dog-sitting, no feeding them”.

Merlin sadly had to be euthanised due to his condition (Image: RSPCA)

Mr Haigh added: “It’s a grim message I’ve got to give you because this is a sorry state of affairs.

“You don’t come across as someone who would do something as chaotic as this.

“What you put that dog through during that period of time, this dog that looked to you as its master, you seriously let this dog down.

“It’s up to you how you move on now, because it’s done now.

“It’s up to you what you do now and how you move on with things.”