A Torry mum who abandoned her crumbling concrete home but left her pet dogs behind to starve in disgraceful conditions wept in the dock as she was banned from keeping animals.
Donna Fraser, 36, was one of hundreds of residents in the area whose homes were found to contain the dangerous Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) – a porous material that can structurally fail when exposed to moisture.
The mum-of-four was forced to evacuate her Aberdeen home on Pentland Road, Balnagask, after the flat’s ceiling collapsed and the property flooded.
Two dogs in her care – named Reggie and Dakota – had to be destroyed after they were exposed to “horrendous” conditions.
When entry was forced to the property, bags of faeces were found stacked on tables and carpets were soaked through with urine, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.
‘Ravenous’ dogs fed through the letterbox by SSPCA official
Her solicitor, Kevin Longino, painted a picture of a woman who was struggling to cope and who “fully accepts she absolutely failed these animals”.
Fiscal depute Ann Mann told the court that between August 9 and October 8 last year, an SSPCA officer visited Fraser’s home, where she looked through the letterbox and saw several dogs inside.
There was a “strong foul smell” of faeces and urine coming from the property.
She could also see large pools of water on the step and the carpet looked “saturated”.
Ms Mann said: “The officer put several sachets of wet dog food through the letterbox and the dogs ate ravenously. She then left an abandonment card.”
On October 2, the officer returned and found tape that she had placed over the locks to check if anyone had entered the property was still intact.
“She found conditions were much the same, with pools of water on the staircase, and again she fed the dogs through the letterbox.
“She noted that a Black Cane Corso dog to be in good body condition, but a tan Bully-type dog was very underweight.
“Again, the animals ate ravenously.”
Attempts were made to contact Fraser, but to no avail, and when the officer returned to the property, the dogs were found to be “extremely stressed” and the foul smell was even “stronger”.
‘No evidence of dog food or water for the dogs’
On October 9, due to her having serious concerns over the welfare of the dogs, the SSPCA officer contacted Aberdeen City Council, which sent a joiner to gain entrance to the property.
“Upon entering the locus, the conditions were found to be horrendous,” Ms Mann said.
“There was urine and faeces throughout the property along with rubbish and broken furniture. The staircase carpet was soaking.
“They found mess, litter and rubbish throughout, faeces on the floor and bags of dog faeces stacked on the table.
“There appeared to be a week’s worth of faeces and urine present. The officer found no evidence of dog food or water for the dogs.”
Appearing in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, Fraser pled guilty to two charges under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006.
She admitted causing puppy Nibs unnecessary suffering by failing to provide adequate nutrition and failing to seek vet treatment.
She also caused Reggie, now deceased, unnecessary suffering in the same way and failing to seek veterinary treatment for conditions including body weight loss, loss of muscle mass and diarrhoea.
‘Ms Fraser fully accepts that she absolutely failed these animals’
Defence solicitor Kevin Longino said the offences occurred against a background of Fraser suffering from poor mental and physical health, a death within the family and the breakdown of her relationship.
He said Fraser’s tenancy was affected when the roof collapsed and she was forced to move into homeless accommodation.
“Her former partner had left the dogs with her, which added to her inability to deal with her day-to-day life,” Mr Longino said.
“She was barely coping with the children and she couldn’t cope with the animals at that time.
“Matters just snowballed and it is a matter of great regret that this happened. Ms Fraser fully accepts that she absolutely failed these animals.”
As Fraser wept in the dock, Sheriff Rhona Wark told her that a report by the SSPCA into the treatment of the dogs did “not make pleasant reading”.
She made Fraser, of Balnagask Circle, Aberdeen, subject to a community payback order with supervision for 12 months and disqualified her from keeping animals for four years.
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