Yahoo News Woman banned from keeping animals for life after pets discovered living in horrific conditions
A woman has been banned from keeping animals for life after four cats were found dead in her squalid house.
Police attempted to get inside Nicola Lissimore’s home in Wolverhampton after they monitored her for several days.
They attempted to get in through a back door – but were unable to due to cat faeces blocking it.
Having finally managed to get inside, police and an RSPCA inspector began gagging due to the smell of ammonia that met them.
They found four dead cats alongside 10 others who were starving and suffering from dehydration.
Piles of rubbish and dried faeces were strewn throughout the house, while fleas were found jumping at the front door.
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Lissimore, 49, did not let the cats go outside and there were no signs of the animals being fed or watered.
Inspector Dawn Burrell went to the address and was unable to contact the owner but could see a number of emaciated cats through a window.
She said: ‘This was one of the worst properties I have entered in my thirty years in the job.
‘It was so sad to see these dead cats just left in the filth and the others were either emaciated or had other health problems which had not been addressed.
‘We found four dead cats amongst the piles of faeces which was piled high, there was rubbish strewn around and the only water available in the property was from a bathroom tap which was left running but the door was closed so they couldn’t access it.’
The surviving cats have been taken in by the RSPCA, while some have been re-homed.
Lissimore, from Wolverhampton, West Mids, pleaded guilty to two animal welfare offences when she appeared before Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
She was given a 12-week jail term suspended for 18 months and will be be required to undertake a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement for 30 days.
She was also ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and pay £300 costs and a £115 victim surcharge.
