AMY HADDOW and MICHAEL KINLOCH – BRISTOL

❌AMY HADDOW and MICHAEL KINLOCH – BRISTOL❌

A South West couple who neglected their starving dogs have been banned from keeping animals for ten years.

The RSPCA has shared photos from inside the stinking faeces and urine smelling Bristol flat of Amy Haddow, 32, and Michael Kinloch, 31, following an investigation and prosecution by the charity.

The pair, of Upjohn Crescent in Bristol, pleaded guilty to an animal welfare offence but have appealed the sentence they were handed.

Dan Hatfield, who was among the RSPCA inspectors who visited the couple’s home along with a police officer, said: “As I walked into the flat, I could smell urine and faeces and the hallway and stairs were covered in what appeared to be smeared faeces which had ingrained into the wooden floor.”

Two dogs were taken from the property into RSPCA care but sadly one, who had eaten a sock while living in the flat and also appeared “very thin”, did not survive.

Describing the scene that met inspectors, a charity spokesperson said: “One cage contained a small French bulldog called Stitch.

His cage had urine-soaked bedding and he had no access to water. Stitch was underweight with his spine, ribs and hip bones visible.

“Cane Corso, Teddy, was freely roaming the bedroom, he was also very thin with his bones visible. There was no access to any water in the bedroom where Teddy had been shut in.

“A vet, who examined the dogs immediately after their rescue, found them both to be severely underweight, with body conditioning scores of just 1 out of 9.

“Teddy also passed a sock in his faeces which showed he’d consumed this while living in the flat.

“Both dogs were taken into RSPCA care and Stitch has since been rehomed but sadly Teddy was unable to recover and was put to sleep.”

The vet’s report to the court noted that the dogs were “markedly underweight which is likely due to chronic malnutrition over an extended period of time”, according to the RSPCA.

Alongside the ten-year animal ban, which they cannot appeal for five years, Haddow and Kinloch were each sentenced to a 12-month community order when they appeared before Bristol Magistrates’ Court on February 16.

Haddow must carry out 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days, while Kinloch must carry out 80 hours’ unpaid work. They must both pay £100 costs and a £114 victim surcharge.

RSPCA Inspector Hatfield said after the sentencing: “Our plea to all animal owners is to make sure they always receive care when needed.

“Animals are completely reliant on their owners to ensure their needs are met and they are kept safe and healthy. Owning an animal is a privilege – and ensuring an appropriate diet is a key part of the responsibility we have towards them.”

The dogs were both taken into RSPCA care