Southampton dogs left to die after being locked in cages

Alexander Thomas Wilson, 32, has been banned from keeping animals for life for causing unnecessary suffering to the four animals.

Wilson, of Cranbourne Drive, Otterbourne, admitted two animal welfare charges and received a 16-week prison sentence suspended for 18 months as well as a community order to do 300 hours unpaid work.

More details of the case have emerged following the sentencing, including images seen by the Echo that show the dogs reduced to their skeletons. The Echo is not publishing the images.

The animal welfare charity had been contacted after the bodies were discovered at an address in Wimpson Lane.

READ MORE: Man banned from keeping animals for life after causing suffering to four dogs

Inside the conservatory was a dog crate containing the skeletal remains of a dog named Bonnie. She was partially concealed with a dog bed and appeared to have been half wrapped in a black bin bag. There were no bowls inside the crate.

Within one of the makeshift dog enclosures, were the skeletal remains of another dog, Bully, who was found inside the pen was a deep layer of wood shavings but no bowls.

Within another enclosure were the skeletal remains of two more dogs, Narla and Cleo. The enclosure contained an empty bowl and lots of faeces. The sides of the enclosure were damaged and appeared to have been chewed. Rat burrows were also observed within the enclosure.

Southampton Magistrates' Court court heard that Wilson had decided to breed dogs which resulted in a large litter of 14 puppies but found himself in a position where not able to re-home dogs as quickly as he would have liked during lockdown.

He later took on another dog which bred with another of his dogs, resulting in another litter of ten dogs.

Wilson was said to have found himself in a situation where he was unable to cope and did not seek help or support.

He claimed the four dogs found dead inside the empty property were off their food and drinking more water than normal in the two days prior to their deaths, as well as stating he always provided the dogs with food and water.

A veterinary expert who examined the evidence said that the findings are not consistent  with the dogs having been provided with water at the time of death. They also said it would not b expected that the dogs would be visibly losing weight after just two days off their food.

The vet report also highlighted how Narla and Cleo were found deceased within an environment containing a  large number of faeces deposits, indicating the dogs were exposed to an unhygienic environment before and at the time of death. The vet said that the single empty stainless steel bowl found within the pen suggests they did not have access to drinking water at the time of death.

RSPCA inspector Patrick Bailey, who investigated for the charity, said after the hearing: "Pets are completely reliant on their owners to ensure their needs are met and they are kept safe and healthy.

"Owning an animal is a privilege - and ensuring appropriate care is a key part of the responsibility we have towards our pets. It’s so sad that, in this instance, that responsibility was not met."

Alongside the disqualification, suspended prison sentence and unpaid work, Wilson was ordered to pay a £128 victim surcharge.

The charges: 

1. That on a day or dates between the 1st January 2022 and 6th April 2022 at Wimpson Lane, Southampton, Hampshire, you did cause unnecessary suffering to protected animals, namely four Presa Canario type dogs identified as Bonnie, Bully, Narla, and Cleo by failing to adequately investigate or address one or more signs of following ill health: inappetence, weight loss and excessive thirst, and that you knew or ought reasonably to have known that this failure would have the effect of causing unnecessary suffering or be likely to do so, contrary to Section 4 (1) of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
2. That on a day or dates between the 1st January 2022 and 6th April 2022 at Wimpson Lane, Southampton, Hampshire,you did fail to take such steps as were reasonable in all the circumstances to ensure that the needs of animals for which you were responsible, namely two Presa Canario type dogs identified as Narla and Cleo  were met to the extent required by good practice in that you failed to meet their need for a suitable living environment, contrary to Section 9 (1) of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.