Cara McNulty, a 31 year old support worker, of Bryson Place, Strathaven, pled guilty to causing her 10 year old Shar-Pei dog Lucy unnecessary suffering by failing to provide veterinary treatment for a painful skin condition, severe eye infections and overgrown claws. Lucy's health was so badly deteriorated due to her various conditions that vets had no option but to put her to sleep. 

 

McNulty was banned from owning or keeping any animal for three years and fined £400.

 

Inspector Gillian Dick, who led the investigation, said, "This was one of the worst cases of neglect I've ever had to deal with. The vets who examined Lucy concluded that she had been suffering from a severe and chronic skin condition for many months if not years.

 

"Her claws were so badly overgrown that some of her nails had turned 360 degrees on themselves and her eyes were weeping with puss and covered by inflamed and infected skin folds.

 

"McNulty reasoned that Lucy had not been seen by a vet because she got distressed when she was taken out of the home, but this is no excuse for allowing her to get into such a terrible state and then to continue to ignore the obvious pain and discomfort that Lucy was in over a prolonged period of time.

 

"We welcome the accused's conviction, but we are disappointed that her co-accused did not face the courts and we would have preferred to have seen a life ban awarded in a neglect case of this severity. Anyone who can allow their pet to suffer in this way should never be allowed to own an animal again."