Woman banned from owning pets after sick cat left behind to die
A young woman from St. Helen's, according to the RSPCA, on Tuesday, 17 March 2015, was banned from keeping animals for 15 years after abandoning her sick tabby cat in a filthy, empty home. St. Helen's Magistrates' Court heard how Lisa Marie Tucker, from St. Helen's, is said to have:- "moved house leaving her pet cat Fluffy behind to fend for herself." After calls reporting that a cat had been abandoned inside a property, the RSPCA attended the house daily and were making enquiries as part of their investigation, but despite every effort the inspector received no contact from Miss Tucker, for several days and could not gain access to the property. After the RSPCA and the Police had gained access to the house, RSPCA inspector Louise Showering said:- "When I entered Miss Tucker's property in June last year, I found Fluffy in a terrible state in the living room. She was weak and completely emaciated but she still just about mustered enough strength to come across to me to say hello, a testament to the fact that she had a truly sweet nature. It was clear to me on first sight though that this was a very sick cat and that she needed urgent attention. As I picked her up I could literally feel her bones protruding through her fur, the poor thing must have been starved almost to death. I rushed Fluffy to the vet, but unfortunately she was actually suffering from a terminal illness, made worse by the fact she had not been properly cared for, and she sadly died not long after arriving. Owning an animal is a big responsibility and many people just do not fully appreciate the time and effort required to provide animals with even their basic needs. In this case Miss Tucker not only failed to meet the very basic needs of her pet, but she actually left this poor cat behind in disgusting conditions. Fluffy was left completely vulnerable and dying all alone. We just hope that this sends a message to others that not taking care of your pets is a criminal offence and you can and will be prosecuted if caught treating an animal in this way."
