Woman receives animal ownership ban after pets found starving in neglectful conditions

A woman received a 10-year prohibition on owning animals after abandoning her pets to starve amidst unsanitary surroundings. Shelby Russel, 29, pleaded guilty to charges of animal cruelty, having deprived her two cats and three dogs of sustenance and hydration, leaving them to reside in their own waste. According to RSPCA inspectors, Russel asserted upon questioning that she had been hospitalized and attributed the animals’ neglect to a dog sitter who failed to care for them. Beyond the prohibition, Russel, residing on Lupton Road, Sheffield, was mandated by Sheffield Magistrates’ Court on Monday to complete 20 days of rehabilitation and remit £199 in penalties. South Yorkshire Police reported that an RSPCA inspector visited Russel’s residence on 14 October 2023, prompted by complaints that her pets had been unattended for over a week, lacking both food and water. The inspector, observing the animals alive within the premises, affixed seals to the door to ascertain whether anyone would enter the property during the subsequent two days. As no one entered, law enforcement was summoned to aid in the animals’ retrieval. Russel subsequently came back to the property and offered “a list of excuses” regarding her pets’ condition, alleging she had kept the tap running “24/7” and “fed them three times a day”. Police stated that as the RSPCA commenced the seizure of the animals, Russel grew aggressive, shoving an inspector and uttering the threat to “stab anyone who tries to take my babies”. Courtroom video evidence depicted Russel’s dogs “scrambling” for water upon its provision and consuming it without interruption for several minutes. Russel confessed to charges of inflicting needless suffering upon a protected animal and violating the obligation of an individual responsible for an animal to guarantee its well-being. Furthermore, she acknowledged engaging in threatening, abusive, or insulting language or conduct, as well as assault by beating. Dog legislation sergeant Matt Duffy commented: “Animals deserve to be cared for and loved.“Leaving them defenceless, locked in cages to starve and dehydrate is disgusting behaviour.“I am pleased that Russel has been banned from owning any animals for 10 years for the pain and suffering she inflicted on these poor animals.” Sergeant Duffy noted that all the animals had shown improvement since their confiscation last year. Audiences can access highlights from South Yorkshire via BBC Sounds, view the most recent episode of Look North, or submit a story for consideration here. This content is copyrighted by BBC in 2024, with all rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites and provides information on its approach to external linking.