CONVICTED (2021) | Ayla Gilchrist, born 18 October 1997, of Egreaves Avenue, Loscoe, Heanor DE75 5RS – left her pet dog alone without food in an empty property strewn with rubbish Husky-cross Yogi was so emaciated that the RSPCA inspector who rescued her said she was the thinnest dog she had seen alive. Described as a ‘walking skeleton’, she weighed just 8.75kg when rescued against a normal weight for her breed of around 30kg. Yogi’s owner Ayla Gilchrist pleaded guilty to three animal welfare offences after admitting leaving the dog alone with no food. The court heard how a housing officer attending the address called the RSPCA after seeing a very underweight dog in the property. Inspector Rachel Leafe, from the RSPCA, visited the property on January 6 , 2020, and could see the weak dog through the window in the rubbish-strewn house which had dirty nappies, litter and dog faeces covering the floors. In a statement she said: “She was walking but looked very weak and unsteady on her legs. I could visibly see, despite the thick fur, that the dog was grossly underweight. The outline of every rib could be seen through the fur, as could the spine and hip bones. The dog’s face was sunken in. “Her stomach was so sucked in that it looked like somebody could easily wrap their hands around her waist. I could not see any food or water. I was very concerned that if the dog was to be left any longer she may not survive.” Rachel accessed the property with help from Derbyshire Police and, by climbing onto a ledge through an open window, was able to safely lift the dog free as she was too weak to jump on the windowsill. “I was so shocked at how light the dog was to pick up. It just felt like picking up an empty rucksack. I could feel her breast bone which was very sharp and prominent and there was no fat or muscle surrounding her body at all,” she said. “She looked like a walking skeleton and I had never felt a dog this thin that was still alive in all my life and career as an RSPCA Inspector.” Rachel rushed the dog for emergency veterinary treatment as she was underweight, dehydrated and appeared confused and weak. Named and shamed: a local outs Gilchrist on Facebook as the owner of the abandoned dog A scan of the dog’s microchip revealed her name to be Yogi, that she was aged five, and that she belonged to Gilchrist and was registered at the address where she was found. Rachel was able to trace Gilchrist who allowed her access to the property where Yogi was found so she could make further investigations. During her search, she found no available food and water for the pet but came across empty dog food tins wrappers. Indications also showed that Yogi had been drinking water from the toilet bowl – which was left dry – and had eaten tubes of toothpaste to help stay alive. A vet who examined Yogi said: “The only reason she perhaps stayed alive as long as she did was because she was able to access the water in a downstairs toilet. The dog was caused an unimaginable degree of suffering for a period of at least two months.” After emergency treatment Yogi, who was renamed Honey because of her sweet nature and fur colouring, was taken to the RSPCA Chesterfield and North Derbyshire for rehabilitation. She has since been rehomed. Sentencing: eight-week custodial sentence, suspended for 12 months for each offence; ordered to a total of £328 costs and charges. Banned from owning animals indefinitely. Derbyshire Times Express