Couple banned from owning animals after dog was left blind (From Wandsworth Guardian)

Battersea couple banned from owning animals after dog was left blind

4:50pm Friday 5th October 2012 in News By Alexandra Rucki

A couple have been banned from owning animals for five years after their dog was left blind and needed a leg amputating.

Eamonn Manderson, 23, and Michaela Murphy, 18, both of Brassey Square, Battersea, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.

The pair were first approached by RSPCA inspectors in November, who found the staffordshire bull terrier, called Grudge, had a swollen eye.

Manderson told the inspectors he had taken his pet to the Blue Cross and would be getting the injury sorted.

But officers were called to the flat again in June 2012 after somebody reported seeing the dog being beaten by Manderson.

Inspectors discovered the pooch was lame in one leg, while it's eye condition was more severe.

RSPCA staff seized the dog and the couple were interviewed, with Manderson and Murphy claiming Grudge was hit by a car.

The dog was taken to a veterinary surgery and was found to have a fractured right leg, which was estimated to have happened 10-14 days ago.

The leg was in such a state the vet was forced to amputate it.

An eye specialist found the dog's cornea was injured and was blind as a result, which the vet said would have been extremely painful for the pet.

When the pair were questioned they gave different accounts of how the dog was injured, mixing up the date of the accident and how the dog was taken back home.

As the case progressed they both changed their plea to guilty.

Prosecuting, Andrew Wiles, said Murphy gave an account of the dog having injured his leg the previous Sunday.

He said: "She said the dog had been struck by a car outside the primary school and that she carried the dog home.

"She said they didn't have any money, so didn't seek any veterinary attention. On that occasion she accepted she had caused the dog pain by not getting him to a vet straight away."

Ms Claire Padget, defending for Manderson, said the couple were going through a difficult time after their son was removed by social services.

She said: "He has found himself in a difficult situation since the beginning of this year and has realised he can't take care of animals. He has realised he has other priorities."

The court heard Manderson was also set to start an anger management course.

Magistrates at Wimbledon Magistrates Court banned the couple from owning or keeping any animals for five years.

They were also given a community order, with a requirement of 80 hours of unpaid work, and a fine each of £100.