Dog groomer banned from keeping animals after starved dog died

A dog groomer has been banned from keeping animals for life after starving her pet dogs, leading to the death of one.

Kerry Hodgkinson (DOB 9/7/75), of Aston Avenue, Winsford, Cheshire, was sentenced on Wednesday (24 July) after being convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to two dogs.

Crewe Magistrates’ Court heard that one of the dogs - a Kangal shepherd named Kaan - was so underweight that he had to be euthanised - and that he had lost so much muscle that the vet struggled to find a suitable place to inject him.

As well as the lifetime ban on keeping animals, Hodgkinson was given a 16-week custody sentence suspended for 12 months and was ordered to pay £400 costs and a £154 victim surcharge.

The court - which was told Hodgkinson worked as a dog groomer - heard that Kaan was taken to a vets, by someone else on 9 February this year in a malnourished state, after collapsing three days previously.

A statement from the vet, presented in court, said:

“I was informed there was a man waiting in his car with Kaan. I met [the man] outside, and he asked if we could take Kaan into the building without other clients seeing him… he stated that he was worried about upsetting other owners due to Kaan's condition.

“[The man] opened the car door and picked Kaan off his front seat - once the door was opened a foul smell was noticeable. Kaan was wrapped in a blanket. He informed me that he wasn't Kaan's owner but had permission to do whatever he felt was needed. I asked if he meant euthanasia and he confirmed. I then explained I would need Kaan's owner's consent for euthanasia. [The man] called Miss Hodgkinson for verbal consent.”

Examination of Kaan showed he was in an emaciated state and his eyes had sunken into his head. The vet was unable to find a vein or muscle to sedate him for euthanasia. The vet added in their statement that they fed Kaan a biscuit but he struggled to eat it, adding: “Kaan vocalised in pain every time we moved him.”

Eventually, the vet was able to find some muscle in his neck and Kaan was humanely euthanised.

Due to the poor condition Kaan was in, the vets contacted the RSPCA. Inspector Leanne Cooper, who investigated for the charity, attended Hodgkinson’s house, where there were three further dogs, which were taken to a vets for examination.

Examination showed that one of the surviving dogs - a tan, small crossbreed dog named Buddy - was underweight with a body score of two out of five. A vet confirmed that Buddy would have suffered as a result.

Buddy has now made a full recovery.

Inspector Cooper said:

“It is heartbreaking that Kaan suffered so much as a result of being starved. It was Hodgkinson’s legal responsibility to ensure Kaan and Buddy didn’t suffer and she failed to do this.”

• The full offences Kerry Hodgkinson was convicted of are:

  • That between 24th January 2024 and 9th February 2024 at Aston Avenue, Winsford, Cheshire, CW7 2HX you did cause unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, namely a Kangal shepherd dog called Kaan, by failing to do an act namely to adequately investigate and address the causes of her poor bodily condition and weight loss and that you knew or ought to have reasonably known that this failure would have the effect of causing unnecessary suffering or be likely to do so, Contrary to s.4(1) of the Animal Welfare Act 2006

• That between 31st January 2024 and 15th February 2024 at Aston Avenue, Winsford, Cheshire, CW7 2HX you did cause unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, namely a crossbreed dog called Buddy, by failing to do an act namely to adequately investigate and address the causes of her poor bodily condition and weight loss and that you knew or ought reasonably to have known that this failure would have the effect of causing unnecessary suffering or be likely to do so, Contrary to s.4(1) of the Animal Welfare Act 2006