WARNING: Distressing and upsetting images below

A woman has been banned from keeping animals after she allowed her cancer-stricken dog to die in pain without seeking veterinary care.

Rebecca Anderson, of Kings Road, Chatham, was also given a four-month suspended prison sentence for ignoring the needs of her male bull-breed dog called Major.

Medway Magistrates Court heard on May 27 how the RSPCA tried to carry out an animal welfare check at her property on several occasions during March and April last year, following reports raising concerns about a dog.

Despite this, on each occasion, nobody answered the door and there was no response to notes from the charity urging her to contact them.

Consequently, in April, the animal charity was contacted by a witness who had access to the property and said they had found a dead dog there who appeared to be “a bag of bones” before being taken to a local vet for cremation.

A post-mortem was arranged for Major by the RSPCA and it found the dog’s death followed complications associated with a malignant bone tumour.

Despite the dog’s obvious pain and difficulties with breathing and eating, the 21-year-old owner had not sought vet treatment.

RSPCA Inspector Kirsten Ormerod said: “Following the post-mortem, the pathologist said that due to a lack of veterinary treatment, the bone tumour in Major’s chest led to him experiencing unnecessary suffering for a period of at least four weeks before he died..

“They concluded that if Major had been taken to a vet and been diagnosed, there would have at least been the option to humanely euthanise him or to instigate palliative treatment.”

The veterinary experts who looked at Major described his body as being in a very poor condition and it was estimated that his weight was approximately half of what it should be.

Although it was acknowledged that no action could prevent Major from losing his life to bone cancer, the experts felt it would be obvious to “any reasonable person” observing the dog that his problems required treatment.

The vet explained that with osteosarcoma, it is routine practice to provide palliative care in the form of anti-inflammatory drugs and often opioid painkillers as well.

They maintained that the failure of Major’s owner to take action when it became apparent that his health was declining resulted in the dog experiencing unnecessary suffering for at least the four-week period.

Inspector Ormerod added: “It is a pet owner’s legal responsibility to properly look after any animal in their care.

“Poor ‘Major’ died a drawn-out, painful death, because his owner Anderson failed to seek veterinary treatment for him which could have alleviated his suffering.

“For those with concerns about the health of their pet, please check our online advice about finding a vet.”