French bulldog has leg amputated after being kept in dark container

Two people have been banned from keeping animals for ten years after leaving a dog in a dark container with a broken leg. Pepsi was found by police in a garden inside a small container with a hose pipe holding the lid down.

Officers attended attended Warren Close in Bridgwater after concerns were raised about a dog at the address last December. When they found Pepsi, the French bulldog looked "absolutely petrified" and was bleeding from her face.

Police noted that “there was no way she could have got out of the container due to the weight of the hose pipe on top of the lid to the container”. She was in total darkness whilst in the container.

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Sheldon Turner, 36, of Regents Court, Bridgwater, Somerset and Lucy Blackmore 43, of Warren Close, Bridgwater, Somerset, were sentenced at Taunton Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, November 5. Blackmore was ordered to pay a £200 fine, £160 victim surcharge, and £400 in costs, while Turner was sentenced to an 18-month community order as well as a £80 fine, £114 surcharge, and £400 costs. Turner's community order will include 30 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR) Days. They will not be allowed to appeal their ban on keeping animals for five years.

RSPCA Deputy Chief Inspector Simon Coombs, who investigated for the animal welfare charity, said: "Despite being aware of Pepsi’s health issues, they did not seek vet help for her and but for the intervention of the Police and RSPCA her situation would have continued – as it had done for the six weeks since she came to them, apparently already with the health issues and injuries.

“Owning a dog like Pepsi is a privilege, so it is heartbreaking to think what she went through. Dogs feel pain and suffering just like we do and always deserve to be shown kindness and compassion.

"If any pet owner is struggling to care for their animal we’d encourage them to reach out to a local charity or organisation who can help. Please never ignore an animal in desperate need of help, no animal should suffer like this.”

Vets later noted she had a 3cm cut to her face and that her limb had been fractured two to six weeks before, claiming that this was evidence of blunt force trauma. Sadly, her leg had to be amputated.

Pepsi also had issues with her ears and eyes, suffering vision loss and scarring due to her untreated dry eye.

Pepsi has been nursed back to health at the RSPCA Brent Knoll Animal Centre, where the team has been "dedicated to showing her the love and kindness she deserves as she gets ready to find a new home".

If you have animal welfare concerns, you can make a report to the RSPCA online.