CONVICTED (2016) | David Farrell, born 30 June 1969 of Ashdown Road, Bexhill-on-Sea TN40 1SF – moved out of a property, leaving a dog behind to starve to death. Gus was found alone and starved to death after being abandoned by his callous owner, David Farrell Farrell was found guilty in his absence of failing to meet the needs of a Staffordshire bull terrier called Gus. The RSPCA was called in May 2015 after Gus was found dead in Farrell’s previous home in Hollington Old Lane, St Leonards-on-Sea. The police had been contacted by a neighbour, who had noticed a smell, and so broke into the house to find the distressing sight of the dog’s dead body. The RSPCA investigated and learned Farrell had left the home, with Gus alone in it, two months earlier, in March 2015. He claimed he had told a friend to feed and walk the dog but then lost touch with him. RSPCA inspector Alison Edwards said: “Who knows how long it took this poor dog to die alone in that home. “We found him curled up on the kitchen floor surrounded by faeces and empty bowls of food. “His suffering was just so unnecessary. No-one was checking on him, or giving him care. He had simply been shut in a house alone and left to die. “Simply following up to make sure this dog was cared for would have saved his life and saved the lonely, prolonged death that we can only suppose he suffered.” A vet estimated the dog had been dead for at least four to five days, and left to suffer for at least two weeks before that. Sentence: eight weeks in prison, suspended for two years, 150 hours’ unpaid work, £300 costs and £80 victim surcharge; disqualified from keeping all animals for five years (expired September 2021). RSPCA – Wimbledon, Wandsworth & Sutton Branch FB post Hastings Observer