Owner taken to court after dog was left so neglected vets had no option

A cruel pet owner let his elderly dog's fur to get so matted it hurt her to be stroked, the RSPCA has said.

Daniel Stokes left miniature schnauzer Poppy for so long without seeing a vet that her tangled coat was painful for her when touched. An RSPCA investigation found that the 13-year-old dog also had infected gums and teeth and was thin and malnourished because her sore mouth meant she was unable to eat.

Stokes, 44, of Criterion Street, Stockport, has now been banned from keeping animals for five years after he admitted causing unnecessary suffering to Poppy between August 6 and 20 last year.

The court was told that by the time her condition was reported to the RSPCA by a member of the public, she could not be treated without inflicting more pain and had to be put down. In mitigation, magistrates were told the neglect was not deliberate and that there had been health problems in Stokes' family.

RSPCA inspector Jess Araujo said she went to the house after concerns were raised. In a statement to the court she said: "Poppy let me stroke her and I could feel her hips, ribs and spine very easily."

Ms Araujo said she could smell the infection from Poppy's mouth and the pet yelped when her face was stroked. She added: "She couldn't be left any longer in that state."

An RSPCA vet examined Poppy at the charity's Greater Manchester Animal Hospital. She found that the animal was emaciated, was suffering severe matting around the hind legs, feet, tail and mouth and was in too much pain to be picked up or examined when conscious.

Stokes was also given a 12-week community order, a curfew between the hours of 10pm and 6am for 12 weeks and ordered to to pay £314 costs after being sentenced at Tameside magistrates' court.

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