By KLTV Newsdesk –

Patterdale Terrier Rock left with untreated wounds and missing teeth, but makes a full recovery

A woman from Bradford has been banned from keeping animals for five years after leaving her dog with severe, untreated injuries.

Chevaune Houston, 23, was sentenced at Bradford Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (23 July) after pleading guilty to an offence under the Animal Welfare Act.

The case followed an RSPCA investigation after police discovered her dog, Rock, in a shocking condition at her home in Low Moor.

Dog Found on Blood-Stained Duvet with No Food or Water

Police attended Houston’s home on Park Road on 19 September last year for an unrelated matter.

Officers found Rock, a Patterdale Terrier, lying on a blood-stained duvet in the conservatory without food or water.

The dog was visibly shaking and suffering from two large cuts across his back and another on his chest.

Officers reported that Houston appeared shocked and told them one of her other dogs had attacked Rock at 1 am the previous day.

Asked why she had not sought urgent veterinary care, Houston said she did not want to hurt Rock by moving him and claimed she thought it would be best for a vet to come to her home the next day.

“She said she had contacted someone but was unable to provide the officers with any call logs or text messages to that effect,” the court heard.

Police, concerned that Rock had been left for 12 hours without treatment, arranged emergency care and contacted the RSPCA.

Vet: Injuries Were at Least Five Days Old

Rock was rushed to a vet, where he was given painkillers, sedated and clipped so his wounds could be cleaned.

The treating vet estimated the injuries were at least five days old, and possibly over a week.

He later underwent further treatment at the RSPCA’s Greater Manchester Animal Hospital, where staff discovered Rock had 12 missing teeth, one fractured tooth, and scars on his face.

Full-thickness wounds on the dog’s neck and back were likely caused by bites, the court was told.

In written evidence, the vet said: “The open wounds to Rock’s neck region showed signs of a recent, substantial trauma – likely from a bite incident. This would have caused suffering due to pain, swelling and infection.

“With wounds to this extent, I would expect a responsible owner to seek immediate/emergency veterinary attention, due to the extent of the open wounds and bite marks being in an area so close to the major blood vessels in the neck and the airways.”

Rock Makes Full Recovery and Finds New Home

By 4 October, Rock had recovered enough to be transferred to the RSPCA’s Leeds, Wakefield & District Branch, where he spent five weeks in care before being rehomed.

RSPCA Inspector Claire Mitchell, who led the investigation, said: “Rock was found in a distressing state, having been left for many days with serious untreated wounds, and we’d like to thank the police for ensuring he got the veterinary treatment he urgently needed.

“We all have a responsibility to the animals we take on, and that includes seeking timely and appropriate veterinary intervention.

“With the right care, Rock came on in leaps and bounds, and the fantastic team at our branch-run animal centre at Leeds did a wonderful job to get him back to full health and into a loving new home.”

Three other dogs at Houston’s address were signed over to the RSPCA and have since been rehomed.

Sentence and Mitigation

Alongside the five-year ban on keeping animals, Houston was handed a 12-month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work, ordered to pay £400 in costs and a £114 victim surcharge.

In mitigation, the court heard the incident was out of character and Houston had previously been a responsible dog owner.