Owner Banned for 15 Years After Dog Starved for Three Months
A woman received a 15-year ban for neglecting her dog, leaving it to starve and suffer for months before seeking help
Willenhall, UK, Dog Abuse, Animal Welfare, RSPCA
Willenhall: It’s hard to believe, but a dog named Mo suffered terribly because her owner, Colleen Rathbone, just didn’t take care of her. For over three months, Mo was left starving, and the images of her ribs sticking out are just heartbreaking.
Colleen, who’s 31, ended up getting a four-month prison sentence, but it’s suspended for a year. Plus, she can’t have any pets for 15 years. That’s a long time! The RSPCA even shared a video showing how weak Mo was when she finally got help.
When a vet checked her out, they found she had lost more than half her body weight. Can you imagine? She used to weigh 18.5kg but was down to just 8.6kg. It’s just so sad to think about what she went through.
Sadly, Mo was in such bad shape that the vet had to put her down. Colleen admitted to two animal welfare offenses in court. The vet’s report said Mo’s condition was due to not getting enough food and possibly being sick.
It’s shocking to think that this suffering went on for at least 12 weeks before Colleen finally took her to the vet. The vet said that if Colleen had just taken care of Mo properly, all this pain could have been avoided.
Colleen was also ordered to pay some costs and do a bunch of rehabilitation days. She said she was “sorry” and claimed she had “done her best.” But honestly, it’s hard to see how that could be true when Mo was left to suffer like that.
RSPCA Inspector Fiona Howell, who looked into the case, said Mo was in terrible condition and had been losing weight for a long time. It’s just a reminder that pets need our care and attention, and neglect can lead to such tragic outcomes.