Kilmarnock man jailed and banned from owning animals after starving dog to death

A man from Kilmarnock has been jailed and banned from owning animals after he starved a dog to death.

William Robert Purdie Allan was convicted at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court of failing to meet the basic welfare needs of his bull breed type dog called Bruce for several months.

The dog’s dietary and veterinary needs were not met, which resulted in prolonged and unnecessary suffering.

Scottish SPCA inspectors attended Allan’s residence on October 7, 2024, after a call to the charity’s helpline reporting concerns for the welfare of a dog at the property.

Bruce’s body was recovered from the property, which was littered with dog faeces and rubbish, and taken to SRUC veterinary services in Edinburgh for post-mortem examination.

The veterinary examination revealed Bruce had suffered from diffuse atrophy, most likely caused by starvation.

The condition of Bruce’s bones and muscles showed that he had received insufficient food for at least one month but most likely more than two months. There was also evidence that he had not been fed anything for three days prior to his death.

Allan claimed the dog had been left with him by a relative of a partner and that he had tried to contact the owner but failed. He said he had been feeding Bruce but had woken one day and found him dead.

A Scottish SPCA inspector said: “Upon entering the residence, it was quickly visible it was very unkempt. There were clutter and empty cans across the floors, and the living room had a very strong smell of ammonia. The room’s carpet was littered with dry dog food and faeces.

“We found the dog dead inside a crate in the balcony area; it was in very poor condition. It was extremely thin; its ribs and hip bones were clearly visible.

“It clearly had been victim of gross neglect. The owner chose to ignore the highly visible unacceptable physical state of the dog for months. These are not the actions of a caring, compassionate owner.”

A healthy weight for a dog Bruce’s size is between 20 and 40kg, yet upon examination he was found to weigh just 18kg, representing a 40% reduction from his ideal weight.

Allan was sentenced to a financial penalty of £1,575, and having not sought time to pay the fine, is serving the alternative of 45 days’ imprisonment. He was also handed a ban on owning animals for ten years.

A Scottish SPCA inspector added: “We are pleased with the sentencing. The suffering endured by the dog was unnecessary and avoidable, had the owner intervened earlier.

“Any responsible owner who lived alongside this dog in a home environment would have been gravely concerned for it given the conditions and would have sought professional advice immediately.

“The ailments affecting the dog were highly visible and would have been addressed routinely by any reasonably responsible person. This sentencing recognises the seriousness of that neglect.”