An Aberdeen couple has been banned from having pets after welfare officers found around 60 neglected animals crammed into their flat.
John and Victoria Symon’s Seaton Gardens home had an “overpowering” smell of animal excrement when inspectors first visited in August 2020.
Scottish SPCA officials discovered appalling conditions, with animals from bearded dragons to guinea pigs all within the reeking address.
John Symon, 41, and his 36-year-old wife Victoria were – at first – offered support instead of prosecution.
But the pair landed in the dock after repeatedly smuggling more animals into their property, despite continued confiscations by the SSPCA.
‘Serious welfare issues’
The animal welfare charity’s first inspection uncovered multiple cats, small cages holding distressed dogs, and other enclosures containing various species of animals – all living in the couple’s lounge.
Fiscal depute Lydia Ross told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “The smell of animal excrement was overpowering.
“The hallway of the flat had plastic sheeting down. It was wet and covered in urine and diarrhoea from the animals.”
The inspector said it was obvious there were “serious welfare issues” concerning the animals but that the owners seemed “oblivious to her concerns”, Miss Ross explained.
“There were so many animals in this small property. The dogs were barking and rocking the cages intensely, which in turn was distressing the other animals.”
The couple signed over ownership of 13 animals – including bearded dragons, cats, dogs and snakes – to the SSPCA rehoming centre at the time.
Too many pets to look after properly
On a further visit from inspectors, just two days later, the couple were told they had far too many animals to look after properly.
They agreed to further sign over ownership of the remaining 39 animals, on the understanding they could keep two dogs and two cats.
On that day, 39 cats, dogs, kittens, rabbits, chinchillas, gerbils, various small birds and a parrot were all rescued from the flat, as well as kittens that the pair were trying to hide in the bathroom.
During a return visit on September 30 2020, the inspectors learned the offenders had acquired another seven animals – kittens, rabbits, budgies and a degu.
Again, the new creatures were signed over to the SSPCA on the same day, leaving the couple with just two dogs and two cats.
Couple ‘had learning difficulties’
A vet whose job it was to care for the confiscated pets then confirmed that several of the animals had been caused unnecessary suffering while in the care of their owners.
The expert believed that unsuitable living conditions were a major factor.
Concerned that the couple would once again acquire more animals, the inspector reported them to Aberdeen City Council’s housing department.
Local authority officials advised the SSPCA that the couple “had learning difficulties and were vulnerable”.
Charity officials initially decided to work with the couple to help them look after animals rather than prosecute them.
The Crown Office agreed with the approach, suggesting social workers be appointed to assist.
‘Strong smell of urine’
SSPCA representatives returned five months later, on March 1 2021, and made further grim discoveries.
The court was told: “On entering the stairwell of the tenement, there was a strong smell of cat urine”.
They found an empty chinchilla cage but the couple said they no longer had it.
Nearby was a small cage housing seven adult and mixed-sex guinea pigs – despite only being large enough for two and lacking food, water and proper bedding.
The fiscal explained: “The living conditions these guinea pigs were subjected to prevented them from having enough space to exhibit normal behaviour”.
A new Staffordshire Terrier-type dog named Jinks was also discovered.
Further searches of the flat revealed even more animals, including a hamster that was found in good condition but in a dirty cage.
Cats were hidden in two bedroom cupboards and the animals appeared scared.
The inspector told the couple of her “disappointment at finding such an amount of animals again” after supporting the man and woman.
“At this point, Victoria and John Symon refused to sign over ownership of any animals into the care of the Scottish SPCA.”
Instead, the animals were seized, the couple were formally cautioned and the council’s housing department withdrew permission for them to keep any pets in the flat.
Vet’s disturbing findings
The court heard the disturbing findings of a veterinarian who examined animals that were removed from the Symons’ home and taken into care.
All the cats had highly transmissible ear mites, with the owners’ original two suffering the most severe infestation.
Both had small lacerations just inside their ears, which would have been caused by them scratching.
The owner would have been aware that their cats had itchy ears and failed to seek veterinary treatment, the vet claimed.
The cats that were taken in had also not been fed enough to maintain an ideal body weight.
They had soiled fur, due to them having diarrhoea.
Dogs suffered horrific ailments
Of the dogs seized, a one-year-old Chihuahua cross named Marshall was thinner than ideal.
Bono, a five-year-old male Yorkie had an ear and eye infection, dental disease, oily skin and a penis infection.
“Bono’s skin and penis infection were visible to his owners and they all needed medical treatment,” the fiscal added.
“His owners caused him unnecessary suffering by not seeking medical treatment.”
Three of the dogs removed from the Symons in September 2020, were emaciated and had multiple health conditions.
All the dogs had dirty, sparse coats – stained with urine – and some were matted with dried faeces.
Two of the dogs had wounds on their bodies that were consistent with bite wounds from another dog.
The seven guinea pigs seized on the same day all had sores on their feet, caused by living in a dirty and over-populated space.
These findings by the vet were shared with John and Victoria Symon during their interviews but the pair still formally refused to relinquish ownership of the animals.
Both were then charged with animal cruelty offences.
Accused pair admitted charges
John Symon admitted three charges of causing an animal unnecessary suffering and two charges of failing to meet the needs of an animal.
Victoria Symon admitted one charge of causing an animal unnecessary suffering.
Mr Symon’s defence agent Stuart Murray said a psychiatric report into his client had been “hard-hitting”.
“It puts Mr Symon in the very lowest percentile of cognitive function. That, perhaps, impacts his behaviour in relation to the matter in court today.
“He presents as a man who is very amiable, likeable and always smiling as a happy-go-lucky character.
“In his mind, he loved the animals. He took too many of the animals in because, as he put it, people wanted him to look after animals for them.
“It’s very clear it was all with good intent but there was an inability to deal with the difficulties in keeping so many animals.”
He added: “There was no malicious intent. What we have here is a man who was doing his best, took on too much and had no insight into his inability to care for those animals.
“What is required for Mr Symon is education in life skills and how they are applied in the real world.”
‘Assistance and support’
Defence agent Shane Campbell, representing Victoria Symon, echoed the sentiments of Mr Murray.
“She also required assistance and support,” he added.
Sheriff Margaret Hodge told John Symon: “It appears to me that a large number of animals were caused suffering by you neglecting them.
“From the reports, it seems you haven’t really accepted responsibility for what you did. I do understand you have problems and you may not fully have understood the extent of the suffering you inflicted on those animals – but you did inflict it.
“You ignored poor conditions, illness and signs of infection. You kept them in a condition that was bound to end in death if not illness.”
She told his wife: “You ignored the significant infections and suffering of your own dog. I do accept you too have a lack of insight, which is not necessarily your fault”.
She said both of them were “unable to ever understand fully” their offending.
The sheriff handed the couple, of Seaton Gardens in Aberdeen, a lifetime ban from keeping animals and a one-year supervision order each.
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