Man sentenced for neglecting rehomed English Bull Terrier

Thomas Jennings, 31, of Vale Road, St Sampson’s, admitted failing to ensure that an English Bull Terrier was free from hunger, and free from discomfort, distress and disease. The offence was committed between August 2014 and March 2015. Jennings also admitted failing to surrender to court custody back in May 2015. He finally reappeared in court in November 2023.

Yesterday he was sentenced to a total of six months in prison, suspended for two years. Jennings rehomed the English Bull Terrier from his stepmother in August 2014.

The dog weighed 28kg and was considered healthy. The previous owner had no concerns as Jennings had grown up with animals.

Two months later Jennings said that the dog had started to act strangely. His stepmother said that the dog could be in heat, and not to breed her.

In December 2014, the defendant caught the rehomed dog with his male dog, and she gave birth to nine puppies in January 2015.

Messages between Jennings and his stepmother from February 2015 showed him asking for advice, as her dog was looking skinny.

Following the birth of the puppies, Jennings took them to the vet, but records found that he did not take the mother.

In March 2015, the terrier was not acting like normal, and upon visiting to assess the animal, his stepmother found the dog fitting on the floor and took her straight to the vet. The dog was very emaciated, weighing just 13.1kg, and the vet said that it would have taken several weeks for the dog to have lost so much weight.

She could not stand, her muscle and body condition were assessed at the lowest possible scores, and there was an obvious loss of muscle mass.

The States Vet was contacted and the dog was signed over to the GSCPA. It made a full recovery.

Jennings said that he went away for a month in March and left the dog in the care of friends, and knew she was not right when he returned.

His stepmother had also said that the weight loss could have been due to the dog giving birth.

Defending, Advocate Sam Steel said that this case was one of ignorance, rather than cruelty. Jennings wished he had taken the dog to the vet earlier.

Judge Gary Perry gave credit for Jennings’ guilty plea, although it was not entered at the first available opportunity. He said that from the images and evidence he was shown, it would have been painfully obvious that the dog was not okay.

Jennings was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment for failing to surrender to custody in May 2015, and three months’ imprisonment for contravening the duty of animal care.

Both sentences were to be run consecutively, and were suspended for two years.

Jennings was also given a disqualification order not to own or keep any animals for three years.