A 24-year-old man from Peterhead has been handed a five-year disqualification from keeping animals and placed under one year of supervision after leaving his dog locked inside a filthy, waste-strewn home for nearly a week with only toilet water to drink.
Sean Stewart, of Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, appeared for sentence at Peterhead Sheriff Court following an animal welfare investigation carried out by the Scottish SPCA alongside Police Scotland.
The court was told that welfare concerns were raised by a member of the public on 2 October 2024, who alerted authorities that Stewart had abandoned the property around 26 September and had not been seen since. Scottish SPCA inspectors and police officers attended the address and forced entry to prevent further harm to the animal inside.
Upon entering, inspectors encountered an overwhelming stench of urine and excrement. The husky-type dog, named Tess, had been left trapped indoors without access to the open air. Officers observed widespread rubbish, chewed personal possessions, and substantial deposits of animal faeces accumulated over several days in a spare room, alongside a plastic carrier bag filled with waste hanging from a door handle.
Welfare examinations established that while an open sack of dry food sat in the kitchen, no fresh food was available. Tess’s sole means of hydration was an open toilet bowl. Officers removed the dog on welfare grounds to secure emergency care, leaving formal notification letters directing Stewart to contact the Scottish SPCA immediately.
Stewart failed to make contact until 8 October—six days after the rescue. When inspectors revisited the property on 10 October, they discovered that the living conditions remained completely unaddressed, with Stewart having made no effort to clean the accumulated waste despite being aware of their impending return.
Fiscal depute Anne Mann told the court that while Stewart acknowledged the criminal charge against him, he maintained that he wanted the dog returned to his care.
Sheriff Robert McDonald sentenced Stewart after he admitted causing the animal unnecessary suffering, distress, fear, and mental suffering. The sheriff placed him on a community payback order requiring one year of formal supervision and imposed a disqualification order prohibiting him from owning or keeping animals for five years.
Welcoming the sentence, the Scottish SPCA confirmed that Tess has since been successfully rehomed into a clean and safe domestic setting.
Stewart pleaded guilty to:
Causing unnecessary suffering, fear, and mental distress to a protected animal under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006
Sheriff Robert McDonald ordered:
A community payback order comprising 12 months of statutory supervision
A disqualification order banning him from owning, keeping, or caring for animals for five years
Image – Anonymous Artist Impression
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