The RSPCA has said that two dogs who were so thin their ribs were protruding when police seized them are now healthy and seeking new homes.
Rocco, a mastiff, and Smudge, a lurcher, were taken from a home in Harrogate when Robbie Nelson refused to sign them over to the animal welfare charity last year.
A vet who examined the dogs concluded both animals were malnourished.
He gave Rocco a one out of nine score on a body condition test, which is classed as a state of emaciation, while Smudge scored two out of nine.
Robbie Nelson, 24, of Woodfield View, was banned from keeping animals for five years when he appeared in court in July.
Read more:
- Harrogate man banned from keeping animals after cruelty case
- Malnourished dogs found in Harrogate flat covered in faeces and urine
- Harrogate man banned from keeping animals for five years
His brother Charlie Nelson, 28, of Woodfield View, Harrogate, was also disqualified from owning pets for five years when he was sentenced this month.
RSPCA inspector Tom Hutton found the dogs underweight and living in accommodation littered with household waste, scrap bikes and dog faeces when he was called out by police to a flat on Starbeck High Street on March 18, 2021.
The flat was covered in dog faeces.
The RSPCA said today that under its care, Rocco and Smudge have returned to a healthy weight and condition and the charity will “now look to find them loving new owners”.
Inspector Hutton said:
“We thank North Yorkshire Police for alerting us to the dreadful situation Rocco and Smudge were in. It meant we were able to rescue them and now we will be able to find them new homes where they are loved and cared for.”
Rocco (left) and Smudge now, looking healthy and seeking new homes.
A Harrogate man has been disqualified from owning pets for five years after being found guilty of neglecting two dogs.
Charlie Nelson, 28, of Woodfield View, was found to be in breach of the Animal Welfare Act at York Magistrates Court yesterday.
The court heard Nelson did not take reasonable steps to look after a mastiff called Rocco and a lurcher called Smudge at High Street, Harrogate, on March 18 last year.
Court documents reveal he was banned from keeping animals “to ensure no animals suffer at the hands of the defendant during this period”.
They also show an order was made under section 33 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 depriving him of ownership of a dog and for its disposal.
Nelson was also ordered to pay costs of £200 and a surcharge of £95 to fund victims’ services.
Read more:
- Malnourished dogs found in Harrogate flat covered in faeces and urine
- Harrogate man banned from keeping animals for five years
North Yorkshire Police issued warrants in July for the arrest of Nelson and his brother Robbie Nelson after they failed to turn up in court to face animal cruelty charges.
Robbie Nelson, 24, of Woodfield View, was subsequently banned from keeping animals for five years.
The RSPCA said Rocco and Smudge were malnourished and living in a flat covered in faeces and with carpets soaked in urine.
An RSPCA picture of the flat where the brothers kept dogs.
Police hunt for Harrogate man accused of animal cruelty
Police are searching for a Harrogate man accused of animal cruelty charges.
A court issued a warrant for the arrest of Charlie Nelson after he failed to turn up to face an animal welfare case.
Nelson, 28, is believed to be in the Harrogate area.
A North Yorkshire Police statement today said:
“Police are searching a number of locations in the area and are appealing for information from the public.”
The force urged anyone with information to dial 101, select option 1 and quote reference number 12210262539.
Alternatively, you can pass on information anonymously through independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or via its website.