Woman in court over emaciated dog who was 'just hours' from death

A woman has been sentenced after leaving her dog to become so emaciated that he was barely alive when she finally took him to see a vet.

Elderly Staffie Wally had to be put to sleep by vets as he was barely breathing and had a very faint heartbeat when he was taken to see them in March. 

Dominika Carolina Wojnar (DoB: 19/10/1981) of Alexandra Road, Dronfield, was sentenced on Friday 8 November to 12 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months. She was also ordered to pay £554 in costs and was disqualified from keeping animals for 10 years. 

The RSPCA was contacted by vets in Sheffield on 7 March after an emaciated dog was brought into their care to be euthanised. 

RSPCA Inspector Leanne Booth, who investigated the case, said in her statement: "Wally was presented in very poor condition. Wally was emaciated, had fur loss ... and several sores on his body. He was collapsed and did not appear to be breathing.

"The vet informed me that Wally was registered at the practice as a 13 and a half year old brindle entire male Staffordshire bull terrier but was unrecognisable ... due to his extremely poor condition.

"He said he'd never seen a dog in such poor condition." 

Vets found a faint heartbeat but put Wally to sleep to end his suffering. 

In his veterinary report, he said: "It is unacceptable that Wally presented in a state that was very near death."

The vet added that "had he not arrived the likelihood [is that] he will have died within hours".

The vet concluded that Wally had suffered unnecessarily as a result of neglect. 

Wally's owner, Wojnar, said she'd struggled to take care of him due to financial pressures and struggles as a single parent. 

She pleaded guilty to one offence of causing unnecessary suffering and was sentenced at Sheffield Magistrates' Court.