Cruelty-charge woman says RSPCA exaggerated claimsTuesday, November 11, 2008, 09:30
A pet owner facing 10 cruelty charges has told a court the RSPCA exaggerated the state of her animals and her home.
Patricia Wyer, is accused of unnecessary cruelty towards four dogs and a rabbit.
Patricia Wyer, is accused of unnecessary cruelty towards four dogs and a rabbit.
However, Wyer, 54, told District Judge Tim Daber at Leicester Magistrates' Court she did not believe the dogs had suffered or were in pain and refuted evidence from RSPCA inspectors about the state of her home.
She described how Twinkle, was taken to a vet in October, last year, when she started to lose the use of a hind leg.
Both legs were paralysed. Mrs Wyer was told that if an injection given to the dog had no effect within 48 hours, the only other solutions would be surgery or to have Twinkle put to sleep.
She said: "She showed improvement one day after the injection. If I had not observed any, I would have taken her back to the vet myself, not because anyone had advised me."
She said when the animals were seized by the RSPCA on November 23, she received no communication from the charity.
Mrs Wyer said an description given to the court by RSPCA inspector Sarah Bate of her home as "smelly and sticky underfoot due to dog faeces" was because she was away from home due to a double family tragedy.
"My sister died suddenly the previous week and my brother was in a motor accident which left him paralysed.
"The state of the house was not as bad as it was made out to be – there were faeces in only one room and, with Dolly being in season, we had to mop up everywhere.
"I did not have time to clean up."
She stressed even at the point when the three dogs were taken away to be destroyed, none was showing signs of suffering.
She said: "When they were taken [by the RSPCA] they all walked out to the van wagging their tails – they thought they were going for a walk."
She said she was treating the rabbit, Gizmo, for poorly eyes and had taken advice from a friend who bred rabbits and kept a pet shop.
Her son, Carl Stein, yesterday told the court he regularly visited the house every two or three weeks and saw nothing wrong with any of the dogs.
He said: "I do not think Twinkle was in pain because she was eating and wagging her tail."
The case continues.
No comments:
Post a Comment