One dog emaciated and another dead after prolonged suffering and mistreatment by Sussex woman

A woman who starved two dogs in Sussex has been banned from keeping animals.

Amy Page of Whitebeam Road, Worthing, West Sussex, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the two dogs.

It follows a visit to her home by the RSPCA who received an anonymous call with concerns about the welfare of her dogs.

An Animal Rescue Officer, Marie Stevens, visited the property and asked to check on the dogs but Page refused.

The officer spotted the defendant dragging an extremely thin dead black dog from the garden towards the house.

Marie Stevens said: “Despite what I had observed, Ms Page repeatedly denied there was a dead dog on her property, but did take me through the house into the rear garden to show me a live, very emaciated tan and white dog, named Princess.

"The dog was cowering and appeared frightened. I could clearly see all of her ribs, spine and hip bones. There appeared to be no food or drink available for the dog.

“After pressing her repeatedly about the dead dog I had seen her dragging, she eventually admitted to me that her dog Prince had died and was upstairs in the bathroom. I found Prince - lifeless - under a sheet.

"He was extremely thin, with ribs, backbone, hips, and shoulders all clearly visible and it was clear he had also been suffering from a bad ear infection.”

Speaking after the hearing, ARO Stevens said: “Prince and Princess were dependent on their keeper and Ms Page broke that trust by leaving them to suffer and one to die.

"Page could have asked for help or handed them over to an animal charity to be rehomed but instead decided to simply neglect them, leading to a period of prolonged suffering and in the case of one of the dogs, death.”

Princess has made a full recovery and has been rehomed.

Page was sentenced to a 16 week suspended sentence, suspended for 24 months.

She was also banned from keeping animals indefinitely.