FOLLOWING a Scottish SPCA investigation, a 25 year-old man who abandoned his German Shepherd dog, Mercury, and two cats, Mars and Jupiter, and failed to provide adequate care has been given a lifetime ban on owning animals and a 270 hour community payback order which must be carried out within six months (see separate article).

Paul Kyle, 25, of Martin Crescent, Ballingry was sentenced at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court on October 30.

Kyle pled guilty to five charges, causing unnecessary suffering under section 19 of the Animal Health & Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, two charges of abandonment without adequate provision under section 29 Animal Health & Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 and two charges of failure to ensure the needs of the animals were met under section 24 of the Animal Health & Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006

Commenting on the investigation and Court case, Scottish SPCA Senior Inspector, Steven Gray, said, “We sadly discovered Mercury, a female German shepherd, dead with blood pooled around her mouth inside Kyle’s home.

“Upon a veterinary post-mortem examination, Mercury was found with a body condition score of 1/9. She weighed 16.2kg, which is just over half of what she should have, and had nearly no body fat.

“The post-mortem also concluded there had been blunt trauma to the ventral and left side of the neck, cohesive with being hit with a blunt object or kicked. She will have shown pain due to the trauma and veterinary attention should have been sought".

He added: “Both Mars and Jupiter, the cats, were seen by a vet and were given body scores of 4/9 and 3/9 respectively. Both cats were covered in fleas and dirt.

“Kyle admitted to abandoning Mercury, Jupiter and Mars between 23 April and 2 May.

“I’m happy the courts have dealt with this case and this sentence handed out. This level of neglect didn’t happen overnight and could have easily been avoided.”