Woman Who Shut Her Dog In Toilet Without Food Or Water For Weeks Banned From Keeping Pets

A woman in the UK was banned from keeping pets for life after she shut her pet dog in a toilet without food or water for weeks, causing it to die.

Samantha Orange, 44, of Dent Drive, Wakefield in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to three animal welfare charges on June 9 in connection with the horrifying neglect that cost her German Shepherd-cross, Kuma, its life, Yorkshire Evening Post reported.

On Dec. 31, 2020, Kuma was found collapsed in the toilet by a family member, who took it to a veterinarian. The vet decided the canine was too ill and emaciated to save and humanely euthanized it to end its suffering.

The vet then alerted the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), and inspector Kris Walker was sent to probe into the matter, said Yorkshire Live.

Kuma’s body, which smelled of feces and urine and was severely underweight at that time, was sent for a post-mortem. The vet who first examined Kuma gave it a body score of 1/9, which is the lowest possible score because the animal’s ribs, lumbar vertebrae, pelvic bones and all bony prominences were visible from a distance.

"There was no discernable body fat, and there was an obvious loss of muscle mass. Kuma was wearing a collar, which was several sizes too large, suggesting that he had been at a healthy weight when the collar was fitted and suggests a rapid weight loss," the vet said in a statement, according to Yorkshire Evening Post.

"The body was covered in dried feces, most notably under the nails, which were severely overgrown by about half an inch, suggesting that Kuma was not frequently walked for an extended period. Live fleas and a large amount of flea 'dirt' was observed through the coat, which was matted."

"Kuma’s ears were very waxy, eyes were sunken and the ocular secretions were thick and "gummy" suggesting that the dog was severely dehydrated, these symptoms occur when at least 10% of the total body water has been lost."

The vet said Kuma was left without food or water for at least two to three weeks. "There is never an excuse not to feed a pet and anyone who is struggling can seek help from many animal welfare charities," Kris said.

On top of the lifetime ban on having pets, Orange was ordered to pay a £165 ($ 230.36) penalty and a £95 ($132.58) victim surcharge.