Couple sentenced after starving dog was found with ‘all ribs, vertebrae and pelvic bones protruding’
A Stafford couple have been sentenced after their two-year-old dog was found severely emaciated, covered in pressure wounds and with virtually no visible muscle or body fat after being deprived of adequate food for at least four weeks.
Oliver Turiccki, 29, and Sarah Pearce, 34, of Eccleshall Road, Stafford, admitted failing to meet the needs of their bull terrier-type dog, King.
An RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer attended their home on 2 September 2025 following concerns about King’s welfare.
The extent of his condition was immediately apparent. His ribs, vertebrae and pelvic bones were visibly protruding, his skull appeared sunken and his abdomen was tucked in.
King had widespread muscle wastage, pressure wounds around his legs and pelvic area and missing fur on his tail.
He was taken for veterinary examination and given a body condition score of just 1/5, indicating he was severely underweight.
One of the most telling signs of his condition came when rescuers offered him food and water. King ate and drank continuously until the bowls were empty.
Veterinary evidence concluded that his suffering had been caused by prolonged inadequate food intake and that he had been affected for at least four weeks.
Turiccki claimed King had lost weight rapidly over a period of around three weeks and said they had sought puppy supplements from the PDSA.
However, checks carried out with three local veterinary practices established that King was not registered with any of them.
Staffordshire Police seized King and he was placed into the care of the RSPCA, with Turiccki and Pearce later signing him over to the charity.
Fortunately, King’s story did not end there.
Once provided with proper care and nutrition, he began gaining weight within weeks and made a remarkable recovery. He was subsequently rehomed, finding a loving new family in time for Christmas 2025.
RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer Thomas Hall described the case as both “frustrating and sad”, saying King had been badly let down by his owners.
He added that he was delighted to see how quickly King gained weight following his rescue and that a loving new home had been found for him.
Turiccki and Pearce appeared at North Stafford Magistrates’ Court on 12 August 2026.
Both were handed 12-week prison sentences, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to complete 10 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days.
They were also ordered to pay £504 each in costs.
Both were disqualified from keeping animals for 10 years, with their bans running until August 2036.
King, meanwhile, is now safe, recovered and living in a new home — a stark contrast to the skeletal condition in which rescuers found him.
