Woman left dog to die in empty house after fire

A woman who left her dog to die in her house after she moved out has been banned from keeping animals.

Rachel Maxwell was put in a hotel after a fire and flood at her home in Darwen, Lancashire, but did not tell anyone she had Shih Tzu Jasper.

When the RSPCA went to 49-year-old Maxwell's home, the dead pet was "barely recognisable as a dog".

She pleaded guilty at Blackburn Magistrate's Court to an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and was banned from having animals for 10 years.

Warning: This report contains distressing images.

The RSPCA became involved after a housing officer found Jasper's body in the house in Ellenshaw Close in April 2024.

The dog was severely underweight and its fur completely matted.

"It was impossible to tell which part was its head, limbs or tail," RSPCA animal rescue officer Zoe Fursman said.

Maxwell was not there when the RSPCA went to the house, but "did not seem at all shocked or saddened" when told of the dog's death.

A post mortem examination concluded the dog, which weighed only 3.4kg (7lbs), had probably died from extreme weight loss.

But the RSPCA told the court the cause of the weight loss might have been an illness preventing absorption of nutrients, rather than a lack of food.

The court heard a vet had said the dog had probably suffered for at least a month before its death.

Maxwell had not told housing officers about the dog and so was not put in a dog-friendly hotel.

Later, when she revealed she had a pet, she claimed it was being looked after by her daughter.

The court heard Maxwell was "well-intentioned but incompetent" when it came to caring for Jasper, and was also dealing with mental health problems.

Maxwell claimed that she had returned to the property to feed Jasper after he returned from her daughter's house, the RSPCA said.

RSPCA inspector Will Lamping said: "Jasper had clearly been suffering for a long time.

"It's unknown how long he went without appropriate food, or how long he was left alone in the house.

"But what is clear is that he would have been scared, confused and in a lot of pain.

"There were missed opportunities to take him to a vet before he got into such a horrific state, and the fact his death was so needless is truly heart-breaking."

Maxwell was also given a 12-month community order and 20 rehabilitation activity days.

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