Owner handed pet ban for ten years after four dogs found 'starving' in faeces-covered kennels

A man who starved his dogs and refused to take them to the vet has been disqualified from owning or keeping any animal for ten years.

Paul Chauvet, from the Isle of Mull, pled guilty to failing to provide adequate nutrition and veterinary investigation for highly visible ailments to his four dogs, causing one to be euthanised.

He also failed to provide adequate living conditions for his dogs Micky, a seven-year-old pointer, Sam, a six-year-old pointer, Fiddick, a 14-year-old Hanoverian bloodhound and Enya, a six-year-old Hanoverian bloodhound.

Investigators from the Scottish SPCA said they were “horrified” to discover the dogs surrounded by faeces, urine and all appeared underweight.

They said the animals were also “uncontrollably shaking with the extremely cold temperatures”.

Chauvet was sentenced at Oban Sheriff Court on Wednesday, March 19.

The banning order also disqualifies him from dealing, transporting, working with, using, riding or driving or providing any service relating to animals for ten years.

He also received a community payback order to be completed within 12 months, and restriction of liberty order for eight months.

A Scottish SPCA inspector said: “We received a call from a concerned member of the public stating that four dogs kept at a property in the Isle of Mull were underweight and there were general concerns over their welfare. There were also concerned raised over owner attendance to the dogs.

“Police Scotland attended the property to seek further information and confirmed that all four dogs were viewed in a kennel block, and all appeared underweight and with large amounts of faeces present.

“We then attended with Police Scotland, and we were horrified see their emaciated state and they were uncontrollably shaking with the extremely cold temperatures.

“There was an overpowering smell of faeces and urine with a large volume of faeces gathering around the grass verge directly in front of the kennel runs.

“One of the dogs, Fiddick, showed very poor mobility and he was struggling to move around.

“Chauvet stated that he attends to the dogs twice daily – he lives about an hour away from the dogs and has done since summer.

“The dogs were transported for veterinary assessments, and it was found that all four dogs had not had their dietary needs met for at least a month, but likely many months, resulting in chronic malnutrition.

“Due to these needs not being met, all four dogs have suffered prolonged periods of starvation and dehydration causing significant mental and physical distress.

“Fiddick was suffering from significant undiagnosed neurological abnormalities, including an inability to stand on his own or walk even short distances without falling.

“We were significantly concerned about his quality of life.

“These signs were most likely caused by nerve degeneration that would most likely be untreatable and continue to progress with time causing more and more suffering. We took the sad decision to euthanise him.

“We are pleased with the sentencing. Any reasonable person should have recognised that an inability to stand and falling over repeatedly while walking was abnormal and that all the dogs were severely underweight. This should have prompted the owner to seek immediate veterinary advice.

“All four dogs have undergone unnecessary and unreasonable suffering that could have been prevented by feeding a regular, adequate diet, providing regular, adequate water and, in the case of Fiddick, earlier veterinary consultation.”

If anyone wishes to report any act of cruelty, information can be found here.