A couple has been jailed for the heartbreaking neglect of their Lurcher dog, Tiggy, who succumbed to severe malnutrition in what has been described as a particularly horrifying case of animal cruelty.
Kerry Patterson, aged 35, and Reece Milburn, aged 30, initially claimed to have found the three-year-old Lurcher abandoned by the roadside, alerting their local authorities about the dog.
An animal welfare officer who visited their home in Blyth, Northumberland, was appalled by Tiggy’s condition, noting it was the most severe case he encountered in his 15-year career.
Photographs showed Tiggy in terrible condition, almost entirely bald and with ribs visibly jutting out from her emaciated body.
She was also dehydrated, afflicted with skin rashes and a mite infestation, and so frail that standing was nearly impossible for her.
In December 2019, just before Christmas, these distressing images of Tiggy circulated widely, leading Northumberland County Council to seek information on her owners, which resulted in many tips identifying Patterson and Milburn.
On March 3, the pair appeared at North Tyneside Magistrates Court, where they admitted to causing unnecessary suffering to Tiggy.
They also confessed to neglecting their other pet, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier named Enzo, who was also grappling with a skin condition and mite infestation.
The couple received a 12-week prison sentence, were banned for life from pet ownership, and fined a £120 victim surcharge each.
Philip Soderquest, a representative for the council, labeled the case as one of the most shocking instances of animal abuse in the area.
“Our animal welfare team tirelessly pursues those neglecting or mistreating animals to ensure they are brought to justice,” he stated. “Even though it took two years, we succeeded in bringing Tiggy’s former owners to court.”
Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the Berwick Animal Rescue Centre team, Tiggy’s story has a happy chapter. She has been nursed back to health, found a loving home, and continues her life with new dog companions under a new name.
As for Enzo, he remains in a kennel awaiting a forever home.
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