South Shields brothers banned from keeping animals after letting cats and dog fall into upsetting states

Two brothers have been banned from keeping all animals – one of them for life – after letting several cats and a dog fall into upsetting states.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Mark Anthony Scott, 20, of Vine Street, South Shields, was sentenced at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday May, 19 after being found guilty in his absence.

The RSPCA said he permitted the failure of another person to provide adequate nutrition for his two cats, Tiger and Shadow, and failed to supervise his brother in caring for them.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Stephen Scott, 21, formally of Vine Street, South Shields, was sentenced after being proven guilty in his absence at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court on March 31, 2021.

Lara the dogLara the dog
Lara the dog

The RSPCA said he had failed to provide adequate nutrition for the two cats, failed to provide veterinary treatment for a dog, and had confined seven animals in a dirty, unsanitary environment.

Speaking after the case, the RSPCA said it had carried out numerous visits to the property between September 2019 and February 2020 and issued notices to take the dog, named Lara, to the vet – which officers said was not carried out.

The charity said two of the cats, Shankly and Cuddles, were taken to the PDSA for care but were in such a bad way vets made the difficult decision to put them to sleep in February.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Cuddles, a four-year-old female tortoiseshell cat, was found to be in an emaciated condition.

Lara the dog has now been rehomedLara the dog has now been rehomed
Lara the dog has now been rehomed

A vet report stated she would have been suffering for multiple days before being taken to the vets.

RSPCA Inspector Rachael Hurst, who investigated, said: “On one of my visits there was a ginger short-haired cat frantically eating something off the bathroom floor next to the toilet, and the other cats were seen in the living room.

“From a distance they appeared thin but upon touching them I could feel their bones in their hips, spine and ribs were prominent.”

She added: “There was faeces on the floor and the property was in a general unkempt state, there was no wallpaper on the walls and parts of the floor had been pulled up, there was litter and chewed up food packets strewn on the floor, a number of litter trays were overflowing with waste.

One of the cats involved in the caseOne of the cats involved in the case
One of the cats involved in the case

"I saw some food and water bowls but they were all empty.”

She said vets found Lara, the crossbreed dog, was very itchy and scratched herself several times during the examination.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

There was also hair loss along her back and the skin had turned black which the vet believed was a reaction to prolonged skin irritation, and two open wounds which were superficially infected and although there were no live fleas, a flea infestation was suspected as the cause.

The vet report continued: “This dog was suffering from the physical and psychological discomfort of constant itchiness and pain from open sores.

One of the cats involved in the caseOne of the cats involved in the case
One of the cats involved in the case

"Hyperpigmentation indicates chronic skin disease, therefore I estimate this condition had been present for at least three months. This could have been easily managed by intervention from a veterinary surgeon and was therefore unnecessary suffering.”

The cats were also examined and judged to be underweight.

On examination, two of the cats were said to have been sent into a frenzy at the smell of food and when offered the food they ate it immediately which the vet report stated suggested severe hunger. All the cats also showed signs of flea infestation.

All the animals, except Shankly and Cuddles, were signed over into the RSPCA’s care, including Lucy, a black-and-white cat, Ginger, a male cat, Maisie, a female tortoiseshell, Tiger, a tabby cat, Shadow, a black cat and Lara, the black and white crossbreed dog. They have all since been rehomed.

Mark Anthony Scott was sentenced to a 10-year ban from keeping all animals which cannot be appealed for two years. He was fined £162 and also ordered to pay £600 costs, a £34 victim surcharge and £250 in vet fees.

Stephen Scott, now of Hillsview Avenue, Newcastle, was sentenced to an 18-month community order with 26 days of rehabilitation activity, 150 hours of unpaid work as well as a ban on keeping all animals for life which he cannot appeal for at least three years. He was also ordered to pay £400 in costs and an £85 victim surcharge.

One of the cats involved in the caseOne of the cats involved in the case
One of the cats involved in the case
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The RSPCA said, in mitigation, Stephen Scott told the court he has a learning disability and depression and that there was an inability to take care of the animals rather than gratuitous neglect.

Support your Gazette and become a subscriber today. Enjoy unlimited access to local news, the latest football stories and new puzzles every day. With a digital subscription, you can see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Click here to subscribe.