Woman left her dog to die in a cage while she went on holiday

Pictured: Woman, 26, who left her Staffordshire Bull Terrier to die in a cage while she went on holiday for two weeks

• A woman left her dog in a cage in her Liverpool home while she went on holiday
• Jade Roberts’ Staffordshire Bull Terrier called Daisy died while she was abroad 
• The 26-year-old pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering but avoided jail 

A woman will avoid jail after leaving her dog to die in a cage as she jetted off on holiday for two weeks.

She claimed she had organised an undisclosed friend to look after her pet. 

Jade Roberts, 26, appeared in court and pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a Staffordshire Bull Terrier called Daisy.

The RSPCA began investigating after receiving a call with a concern for the dog’s welfare in August 2021.

When Inspector Leanne Cragg attended a home on Botanic Place, Liverpool, she found the dog was already dead.

Daisy had last been alive on July 31, 2021, when Roberts went on holiday for 14 days.

Jade Roberts (pictured), 26, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to her Staffordshire Bull Terrier called Daisy, who died after being locked in her cage while she went on holiday

An RSPCA inspector said they could smell the dead and decaying dog when they entered the messy property (pictured)

Inspector Leanne Cragg said: ‘On entering the property I was hit by an overpowering stench of decomposing flesh. There were a lot of live flies flying about the property.

‘I could see a dead, decomposing brindle and white Staffordshire Bull Terrier type dog at one end of a large cage in the front room.

‘The base of the cage was covered in a layer of old faeces. At the front of the cage there was a turquoise plastic bowl upside down, a metal bowl of dried food and another metal bowl which was empty.

‘The property was messy and dirty with clothes and rubbish strewn all over the furniture and floor. I removed Daisy from the cage and I could see that her body was very badly decomposed with her eyes were missing, there were holes straight through her body and there were a lot of maggots of varying sizes.’

Following sentencing, Inspector Cragg added: ‘It was a very sad sight and one which could easily have been avoided.’

Roberts was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days, mental health treatment requirement for six months and a victim surcharge of £128 at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, April 21.

She was also banned from keeping all animals for 10 years and ordered to pay £500 in costs.

She had previously pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering by leaving Daisy unattended without sufficient food and water resulting in her death.

In mitigation, Roberts claimed she was unaware Daisy was not being cared for as she had arranged for an undisclosed friend to look after Daisy whilst she was away and expressed genuine remorse for Daisy’s death.

Roberts was also dealing with personal issues at the time.

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