A man has been banned from keeping dogs for life after he admitted starving his pet until it fell to almost half its ideal body weight.
Gary Thomson narrowly avoided jail yesterday when he appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court to be sentenced for causing his American bulldog unnecessary suffering.
He was ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work within the next six months for failing to provide Kendra with the adequate nutrition and veterinary care she needed.
Last night SSPCA senior inspector, Alison Simpson, said the neglect was so bad the 6-year-old’s bones were clearly protruding from her skin and her face was sunken in.
She said: “When I first saw Kendra she was enclosed in a high fenced run which had an electric wire around the inner side.
“The run was covered in old excrement and Kendra’s food bowl was empty.
“Kendra was clearly emaciated and had a dry, scruffy coat which was covered in dandruff.
“Her head was sunken around her eyes and every bone in her body could be felt. She also appeared slightly wobbly on her legs.”
The court previously heard that Thomson, of 3 Bethelnie Cottages, Oldmeldrum, had taken the bitch in after a friend of his separated from his partner.
He claimed he took it as he had a big garden for it to play in.
However, solicitor Alex Burn, representing the 30-year-old, said his client had never had a dog before and had no idea how much to feed it.
As a result its weight dropped from 77lb to around 44lb.
After only five weeks in the care of the SSPCA Kendra had gained more than a third of her original body weight.
Mr Burn said his client had no intention of keeping a dog again and urged the sheriff to deal with the matter by disqualifying him from owning them in future.
Sheriff Kenneth Stewart said it was unimaginable to think any adult would not realise they would have to feed a living animal.
The sheriff said that he was considering banning him from keeping all animals, however decided to allow him the opportunity to keep his 8-year-old cat.
Last night Ms Simpson said the charity was glad a ban had been imposed.
Kendra has since found a new loving home.