A man that abandoned his dog to die with a whole potato stuck in his throat has been disqualified from keeping animals.
Steven Harrison failed to seek treatment for Benson, his puppy.
According to reports, the vets found a dishcloth in the stomach of the poor puppy when it was being treated.
Teesside Magistrates’ Court heard how poor Benson was “skinny, lethargic and retching” when a member of the public found him.
A concerned found him on February 4, 2019.
Benson was rushed to a veterinary hospital, where he underwent a life-saving operation, where doctors found that the pooch had a potato stuck in his throat.
Not only that, but a dishcloth was also found in the stomach of the pooch.
Harrison was found guilty of 2 animal welfare offenses and was sentenced to 6 weeks custody suspended for 12 months.
After an earlier trial, Harrison, who is a resident of Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, was found guilty of one count of causing unnecessary suffering.
Harrison was also charged with failing to meet Benson’s needs, under the Animal Welfare Act.
Clare Wilson, an inspector with the RSPCA, said, “When I first saw Benson he was skinny, lethargic and kept retching and coughing constantly. I could feel and see all of his ribs and his spine.”
The inspector added, “It was late at night so I took him to a nearby vet surgery where staff was concerned that he had an obstruction.”
Wilson added, “He was put onto a drip and given pain relief and medication to help with the sickness. Vets did lots of tests and x-rays showed a large obstruction in his chest cavity, behind the heart.”
He continued, “He needed a special operation to remove it – and that’s when vets found a whole potato and dish cloth inside him. It was touch and go whether he’d survive the complex operation but, luckily, he pulled through.”
Benson was reportedly vomiting for days, however, Harrison, the owner of the pet pooch, did not do anything about it.
Recalling the moment when they arrived at the scene, Wilson said, “He was extremely poorly by the time we were able to get him the vet. He was lucky to survive.”
Wilson added, “Poor Benson has a stricture in his oesophagus which means he will probably always need to be fed small amounts of food regularly so this incident has had a life-changing effect on him.”
Wilson continued, “He’s doing well otherwise though and is such a lovely dog that the animal centre staff who are caring for him are hopeful they will be able to find him the special home he needs and deserves when he’s ready.”
Harrison was sentenced to 6 weeks of custody and was suspended for 12 months.
Not only that, but the cruel house owner was also asked to do 80 hours of unpaid work.
Harrison was disqualified from keeping all animals for 7 years.