A perverted and deviant convicted offender, the Dundee Animal and Child abuser, Stacey Harris, has been incarcerated after eight pets were abandoned to perish in a deplorable flat.
Stacey Harris, 39, was sentenced to eight months in prison and received a lifelong prohibition on dog ownership at Dundee Sheriff Court on Tuesday, July 29.
Backyard breeder Stacey Harris abandoned two adult dogs and a litter of puppies to die slowly from starvation after cohabiting with a new man who knew that the animals were without food and water.
Mother of four Stacey Harris, characterised in court as unfeeling, indifferent, and lacking remorse, entered a guilty plea to seven counts of animal cruelty concerning eight severely neglected dogs and puppies that were allowed to starve for two months following her abandonment of them. She was not charged or convicted with child neglect, or charges of allowing the children to cohabit with a convicted sex offender.
In October 2024, the Scottish SPCA (SSPCA) initiated an investigation following concerns regarding the wellbeing of Stacey Harris’s canines.
An SSPCA inspector reported: “We received a complaint that a property had been abandoned and the dogs inside had not been attended to for over a week.
“From outside the home, we could see an emaciated Sharpei-type dog with visibly infected eyes. Inside, we were met with an overwhelming smell of faeces and urine. The entire property was littered with dog faeces, rubbish, and debris.
“One of the dogs, a tan and white American Bulldog [Koda, pictured], was so malnourished it could not walk and had to be carried out.
“The remains of a deceased dog were found stuck in an upstairs bedroom doorway.
“Three emaciated Sharpei-type dogs were removed from the property using specialist equipment. Sadly, due to the severity of their untreated conditions, they were later euthanised on welfare grounds.
“The second bedroom was full of dog faeces, empty dog food bags and rubbish. This was where the body of a deceased Sharpei cross type dog was found lying on the floor.
“A veterinary examination confirmed the American Bulldog was extremely underweight, with her ribs, spine, and hip bones clearly visible. She had recently given birth and was suffering from dehydration and skin and ear infections that would have developed over several weeks.
“Two dead dogs—one a Sharpei cross and the other unidentifiable—were taken for postmortem examination, which confirmed they had died from prolonged starvation.
The bodies of a 12-year-old chihuahua called Dex, and a one-year old Sharpei were never found and were presumed eaten.
Sentencing Harris, Sheriff Tim Niven-Smith told her: “If you left a six-month old baby in the house for two months, you could hardly say, ‘I didn’t realise he or she would die’
“Your explanation to the author of the (social work) report that you moved in with your partner and intended to go to the tenancy to feed your dogs but ‘life took over’ is not a proper explanation, especially where that partner lived in Dundee.
“You would easily have the financial means to travel to and from the property by bus.”
The sheriff added: “Your actions displayed a cold, callous contempt for those dogs.
“It’s altogether clear, absent expert testimony, just how agonising a death Cash and Vito endured.”
“I don’t consider you are genuinely remorseful and seem to have done everything to prioritise yourself.
“You attempted to blame one of your children for failing to feed and water them despite acknowledging you had not asked your son to feed and water them.”
Speaking after the sentencing, the SSPCA inspector added: “This was an extremely distressing case where multiple animals suffered unnecessarily for a prolonged period which could have been easily avoided by contacting an animal welfare organisation for help if needed.
“It is hard to comprehend how any individual cannot attend to their own pets knowing they were locked up in a property. As a result, the Scottish SPCA and the Inspector involved are very pleased with Harris’s sentencing and hope it acts as a deterrent to others.”
It is strongly recommended that Stacey Harris is not left unsupervised with children or animals, although it is likely that she will get back supervision of her children which will be a disaster for them.
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this website, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.