A couple from Ellesmere Port has been banned from keeping animals for 10 years after their two dogs were found so emaciated and starving that one had to be put to sleep.

The husband and wife were given a 12-week suspended sentence for causing unnecessary suffering to their two border collies.

Jack Henry Kavanagh, 26, and Danielle Kavanagh, 25, of Sutton Way, were sentenced at Chester Magistrates Court on Monday (April 23).

They pleaded guilty to an allegation of causing unnecessary suffering, between August 17 and October 17, 2017, to a black and white border collie dog called Freddie and a black and white border collie called Harvey, by failing to provide adequate nutrition for the animal’s needs, contrary to Section 4 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Freddie weighed just 11 kilos when he was found

The RSPCA was alerted to the dogs’ plight by a concerned member of the public who had spotted Freddie and Harvey.

Animal Welfare Officer (AWO) John Littlewood attended the address and was told that one of the dogs, Harvey, had died that morning and was at the vets. It was confirmed that two-year-old Harvey had collapsed and was severely emaciated when he was taken to the vets by the owners. Sadly, he had to be put to sleep to end his suffering. Inspector Anthony Joynes was called in to investigate and visited the property to find the second border collie, Freddie, still alive in the back garden.

Insp Joynes said: “I visited the property and saw the other dog Freddie in a really poor state in the back garden. I remember seeing him and thinking he was the skinniest alive dog that I had ever dealt with. There was no muscle mass to him, he was all skin and bones.”

Freddie had no muscle mass to him, he was all skin and bones

Insp Joynes took Harvey’s body from the vets for a postmortem. Harvey weighed seven kilos when he died and when Freddie was found he weighed 11 kilos. The two-year-old dogs should have weighed an average of 19 to 24 kilos.

Insp Joynes added: “It was really heartbreaking to see poor Harvey. As I lifted his body from the vets for evidence, he weighed absolutely nothing. Freddie didn’t weigh much more so I’m so glad we were able to reach him in time.”

A postmortem revealed there was no underlying health problem which would have caused Harvey’s emaciation which means this was due to starvation.

Freddie weighed just 11 kilos when he was found

The couple received a 12-week prison sentence, suspended for two years, a 30 day rehabilitation activity requirement, and were both ordered to pay £250 each in costs and a £115 victim surcharge each. They were also banned from keeping all animals for 10 years.

Insp Joynes added: “District Judge Sanders stated that the Kavanaghs had caused both dogs to suffer a great deal and that the pair had let their animals down badly. He said that they had to learn to take responsibility for their actions or lack of action as in this instance.

“This was a very distressing case to have dealt with and one that will remain with me for a long time. Starving animals to the extent we have seen in this instance is just appalling and hard to comprehend.

“I’ll never forget being shown a large, unopened bag of dog food by Mrs Kavanagh as part of her suggestion that the dogs were being fed adequately. This investigation has shown that this was simply not the case and it is a cause of great sadness for me that poor Harvey did not make it.”

Freddie has now started to put on weight and is now living in his forever home

Freddie’s recovery was slow as he needed to be fed small amounts as his stomach had likely shrunk. Over the next few weeks he started to put on weight and has now been transformed and is living in his forever home.

Insp Joynes continued: “It is fantastic to see Freddie looking so healthy and to know he is now in a loving home. It could have been such a different story, as it was for poor Harvey. Freddie, however has made a miraculous recovery and now lives with a loving family. I’ve recently been made aware that he now has his own passport and will be going on holiday to France with his new family in the near future which is just lovely.”