A callous animal abuser couple from Luton, Paulina Goetzen and Petrica Danila, who starved and abused their pet dog for their amusement, has been penalised and prohibited from owning pets after their American Bulldog perished.
Paulina Goetzen, 32, and Petrica Danila, 28, of Ashburnham Road, Luton, received JUST a 16-week custodial sentence, suspended for 12 months, after admitting to neglecting their dog at Luton Magistrates Court on August 6.
The prosecution ensues from an RSPCA inquiry initiated by a veterinarian who alerted authorities on the dog’s alarming condition.
RSPCA inspector Susan Haywood visited the couple’s residence in February after their deceased dog, Grizzly, was delivered to the veterinarian and discovered to be severely emaciated with marks of an unknown origin, weighing only 15 kg.
The typical weight of a male American bulldog is from 30 kg to 58 kg. The veterinarian indicated that the pet’s body condition score was merely one out of nine.
The veterinarians were informed that Grizzly had died that morning and had been poorly for several days, although continued to eat.
The gravity of his health prompted enquiries over the care he received prior to his demise.
A postmortem investigation of Grizzly revealed that he succumbed to asphyxiation caused by choking on food over a long period of time.
Regardless of the cause of death, the veterinarian’s assessment indicated that the dog exhibited an absence of adipose tissue, pronounced muscle atrophy, and considerable bone marrow depletion, indicative of an extended duration of hunger.
The veterinary analysis indicated that he had endured suffering and abuse for a minimum of two weeks, potentially more, caused by Paulina Goetzen and Petrica Danila, and would have experienced weakness, weariness, exercise intolerance, and extreme discomfort.
Inspector Haywood said: “When I saw Grizzly’s body, it was immediately apparent that he was emaciated as all his bones and in particular his ribs were sticking out from his body. This poor dog would have suffered and as the vet report concluded, this would have been for a prolonged period of time.
The Luton Animal Abusers, Paulina Goetzen and Petrica Danila were sentenced to 16 weeks in custody, suspended for 12 months.
Petrica Danila was additionally required to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work however no requirements were placed on Paulina Goetzen due to her medical issues.
Paulina Goetzen and Petrica Danila were also banned from keeping all animals for 10 years and ordered to pay £1,696.31 each to be paid at a rate of £50 per month.
It is advised that Paulina Goetzen and Petrica Danila are not allowed to be in the care of animals or children unsupervised.
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