Woman who starved dog to death and neglected other pet handed five year animal ban

A woman has been banned from owning animals for five years after starving her dog to death in Ayrshire.

The Scottish SPCA was contacted in December 2024 after a dead dog was handed into a vet practice.

The spaniel-type dog, known as Roxy, was emaciated and only weighed 6.4kg. The vet found that the dog had likely died a few days before the owner noticed, and would have been suffering due to starvation.

An inspector from the charity visited the property where Roxy had been living and was met by owner Nicola Clarke.

When asked what food Clarke was giving another dog at the address named Lexi, she admitted she had no food in the house for the dog and that she hadn’t been fed that day.

Lexi, a Newfoundland-cross type dog, was noted to be in very lean body condition and was seized.

A vet determined that Lexi weighed 23.2kg – around 7kg below a healthy body weight – and had matting on her tail.

Following a post-mortem examination of Roxy, it was revealed that she had died from starvation and that she had not been fed for at least 48-72 hours prior to her death. A vet concluded that Roxy had been suffering and in distress for at least two months.

Lexi has since found her forever home after being taken into the care of the SSPCA.

Clarke was sentenced to a five-year ban from owning or having control of any animals, as well as 160 hours of unpaid work and a supervision period of 18 months, at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on September 18.

The Scottish SPCA Inspector said: “This was a case of gross neglect by Clarke. Roxy was emaciated and had clearly suffered greatly. I feel a deep sense of disappointment and sadness for Roxy – she was failed by Clarke.

“The progress that Lexi made in our care was outstanding.

“I am so relieved that we were contacted before Lexi suffered a similar fate to Roxy, which was likely to happen given Clarke’s ignorance.”