Man banned from owning pets after dog was ‘literally eaten alive by fleas’

Chewie had to be put down to end his suffering (Picture: RSPCA/SWNS)

A man has been banned from having a pet ever again after his dog had to be put down because it had been ‘eaten alive by fleas’.

The poor Shih Tzu dog, called Chewie, had been neglected over several months after Darren Hughes abandoned him in a flat.

When a member of the public found Chewie he was collapsed on the floor, completely covered in fleas, and had no access to food or water.

Vets realised Chewie had been suffering for ‘an extended length of time’ because he was severely dehydrated, had lost a lot of muscle mass, and had suffered severe anaemia and blood loss due to the flea infestation.

Poor Chewie’s condition was so bad that he couldn’t be saved, and he was put down to end his suffering.

Hughes, 48, was arrested after the RSPCA was called, and he’s now been convicted of neglect and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

Vets realised Chewie had been neglected for ‘several months’ before he was spotted by a member of the public (Picture: RSPCA/SWNS)

He had no access to food or water when he was found (Picture: RSPCA/SWNS)

He was sentenced at Highbury Corner magistrates court where he was banned indefinitely from keeping all animals. He was also given an 18-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and fined £154.

The vet who treated Chewie told the court: ‘Chewie was suffering for an extended length of time, as the initial mean corpuscular volume (MCV) was very low.

‘With chronic anaemia and ongoing blood loss, one or more months are required before the MCV and MCHC decrease below reference intervals.

‘This patient’s mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) wasn’t even registered by our laboratory, which is likely to mean red blood cells do not have enough haemoglobin.

‘It also shows thrombocytosis (increased platelets), which is often present in animals with iron deficiency anaemia.

‘The biochemistry blood test results show that he had low creatine, which was likely related to muscle loss, and increased urea, which is likely related to dehydration.

‘He was diagnosed with severe anaemia due to his infestation with fleas.’

Hughes, of Islington in north London, also had a cat at the same property, which will be rehomed.

In mitigation, Hughes’s barrister said an alcohol addiction meant he failed to provide Chewie with necessary vet treatment.

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RSPCA Inspector Shahnaz Ahmad said: ‘This was a distressing case. Poor Chewie had been left on his own for large periods of time while he was riddled with fleas, they were literally eating him alive.

‘It’s thanks to a member of the public alerting us to the condition of this dog that Hughes was punished for his actions.

‘Sadly it was too late to save Chewie, but it does mean this individual will never be able to neglect pets in this way again.’

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