Hull man given suspended prison sentence after letting injured puppies suffer for days
Owen Batty said one of the young dogs had fallen off his bed
A man from Hull has been given a suspended 26-week prison sentence and a ten-year ban on keeping animals after he failed to provide injured puppies with medical care and follow veterinary advice.
26-year-old, Owen Batty of Humber Villas in Paull, was sentenced at Hull Magistrates Court last Wednesday (19 November) after a warrant had been issued for his arrest.
He pleaded guilty to two offences contrary to the Animal Welfare Act 2026 following an investigation and prosecution by the RSPCA.
Magistrates were told the dogs sustained injuries whilst in Batty’s care at his previous address in Jervis Road, Hull, and were showing clear signs of being in pain. Batty then failed to promptly contact a vet in respect of head wounds on one of the puppies, or follow professional advice he had been given regarding a leg fracture to the other.
The RSPCA became involved in the case after concerns were raised about a male bully type puppy called Major who had to be put to sleep after Batty had taken him to a veterinary practice on 28 November 2022 in a poor state of health. The five-month-old dog, who was unable to stand, was vomiting blood clots and had wounds on his head and blood tinged saliva.
The court heard the vet was concerned about Major’s condition and the fact he had not been presented for treatment sooner. Batty, who had owned the puppy for about six weeks, said he had found him collapsed at the bottom of the stairs after he had been wobbly on his legs the day before he’d brought him into the practice.
Magistrates were told he had been treating Major for a skin infection on his forehead for the last few weeks - which Batty thought had been caused by a cat scratch - with antiseptic ointment from a pet shop.
X-rays were taken, but due to the condition of the puppy’s body, which by this time had been frozen, it was difficult to establish if there were any injuries. Police seized the carcass as evidence and it was handed back to the RSPCA.
During the course of the investigation the charity was made aware of another bully type puppy called Ghost who had been presented at a PDSA clinic with a confirmed spiral fracture of the right back leg.
The 13-week-old puppy, who Batty had owned for two weeks, was said to have injured himself by falling off the defendant's bed, but there were concerns about the cause of the injury, along with veterinary advice not being followed by the defendant in respect of the dog’s ongoing care.
The puppy was seen by an RSPCA officer at Batty’s address and was subsequently seized by the police on animal welfare grounds.
Magistrates were told Batty had failed to put in place sensible precautions to prevent Ghost from falling or jumping off the bed. In addition he had not sought routine preventative healthcare, including ensuring the puppies were fully vaccinated and wormed.
A vet who gave written evidence in the case said Major had been caused to suffer for at least five days, possibly longer, because Batty had not sought prompt veterinary treatment for his head wounds. He said Ghost had suffered for three days because the defendant hadn’t followed veterinary advice regarding his ongoing treatment, including continued pain relief.
In his interview with RSPCA Inspector Laura Barber, Batty told the officer that Major had become injured while “play fighting” with another dog and Ghost had sustained his leg injury after falling off his bed, which he said was a “common thing” for puppies to do.
He said didn't think there was anything else he could possibly have done for the dogs and he hadn’t bought them to make money but wanted to keep them as companions.
Batty, who will not be able to contest his disqualification order for five years, had his 26-week prison sentence suspended for 18 months. He was also ordered to carry out 20 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement Days, 150 hours of unpaid work and pay costs of £400 and a victim surcharge of £154.
A female defendant in the case, who also pleaded guilty to two animal welfare offences, received the same sentence when she was sentenced in May this year.
Speaking after sentencing Inspector Barber said: “It was incredibly concerning that both puppies became injured in a short space of time and veterinary treatment was not sought or followed by the defendant. I’d like to thank everyone who assisted with this case and helped us to take this investigation forward.”