Yahoo News Animal bans for mum and son after dogs kept in 'house full of hazards'
A mother and son from Batley have both been banned from keeping animals after keeping their dog in a faeces-strewn and dangerous property. It has been said 'the stench of urine and faeces that could be smelt from outside the property'.
Michelle Farrar of Ealand Road, Dewsbury, was banned from keeping animals for two years, given a 12 month Community Order requiring 20 rehabilitation activity requirement (RAR) days to be completed and was ordered to pay costs of £400 and a Victim Surcharge of £114.
Her son, Ethan Lee Farrar of Oakhill Road, Batley, was banned from keeping animals for five years and was also given a 12 month Community Order requiring 20 RAR days to be completed and ordered to pay costs of £400 and a Victim Surcharge of £114.
They were sentenced on April 18 at Bradford Magistrates Court. The court heard that in October 2022, RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer (ARO) Rebecca Goulding visited a property in Oakhill Road, Batley, to check on the welfare of dogs living at the property, following complaints that they were living in unsuitable conditions.
She reported that through the window of the property, she could see two Dogues de Bordeaux - an adult and a puppy. She said: “Both dogs looked in reasonable condition, and were bright, alert and active.
“But the stench of urine and faeces that could be smelt from outside the property, combined with the filthy windows and stained curtains suggested that conditions inside were not suitable for the dogs. The living room appeared in complete disarray and all surfaces were covered in faeces. When I got inside of the house, the smell of urine and faeces in the living room was overpowering”
The RSPCA was told by the property’s resident, Ethan Farrar, that the two dogs belonged to his mother Michelle Farrar, who although the legal tenant of the Oakhill Road property, lived elsewhere, in Ealand Road. ARO Goulding advised both the mother and son that the condition of the house at Oakhill Road was unsuitable for the dogs and that improvements must be made otherwise they would have to be removed from there.
ARO Goulding made many unsuccessful attempts to visit and contact Michelle Farrar in person. When Michelle Farrar finally did return ARO Goulding’s calls, she agreed to sign the puppy - named Rain - over to the RSPCA and to move the adult dog - Storm - from the address at Oakhill Road, to the other address in Ealand Road, which provided a more suitable environment.
Farrar was warned against the dog being returned to Oakhill Road, unless significant improvements were made to that property.
A month later, ARO Goulding returned to Oakhill Road for a spot check. To her concern, Storm was once again back at the unsuitable property - this time outside in the yard, also not a suitable environment for the dog to be in, as it was full of hazards and faeces. ARO Goulding warned Ethan Farrar that if Storm was found inside the property, then she would be removed.
In February 2023, RSPCA inspector Demi Hodby visited Oakhill Road for a follow up inspection, to check that Storm wasn’t being kept at the Oakhill Road house. But on arrival, she could see a now very thin Storm sitting on a faeces-covered window ledge and noticed a strong smell of faeces and urine coming from the property’s air vents.
Ethan Farrar admitted that there had been no improvements made to the condition of the property. The Farrar’s had once again ignored the RSPCA’s warning not to return Storm to these filthy conditions, and the dog’s body condition had seriously deteriorated, having lost a lot of weight from when she was last seen. So Inspector Hodby advised that the dog must now see a vet, that an investigation had been started and that Storm would be in RSPCA care until the investigation was concluded.
Storm was taken into the care of the RSPCA and was thoroughly examined by a vet and treatments to improve her condition were started.
Veterinarian Dr Sean Taylor, expert witness for the prosecution, reported that the evidence indicated that as well as a 3cm (1.2in) lesion on her tongue, Storm had dental disease which was causing her to experience pain. The evidence suggested that the condition had been present for some time and Storm would have suffered for a period of at least five days, but probably longer.
In addition, Dr Taylor reported that due to the house at Oakhill Road being so unhygienic and full of hazards, Storm’s needs had not been met. He added that those responsible for the welfare of this animal had failed to provide a suitable environment
RSPCA Inspector Demi Hodby said: “It was the Farrars’ legal responsibility to properly care for Storm and they failed to do this. Not only did they repeatedly ignore instructions to improve the conditions that Storm was being forced to live in, but there was also no excuse for failing to get veterinary care for her when it was abundantly clear she so desperately needed it.
“This was a sad case and Storm’s suffering could have easily been avoided. The RSPCA urges anyone struggling to take care of their animal to ask for help and act on advice, rather than neglecting them and leaving them to suffer.” Storm was later rehomed by the RSPCA, and though sadly diagnosed with cancer, had a new home for the remainder of her life.
