LORNA FARRAR OF WELLINGBOROUGH SENTENCED FOR ANIMAL NEGLECT AND STARVATION

Lorna Farrar, born circa 1992 and from Wellingborough, was convicted in 2019 of neglecting and starving two dogs, one of whom had to be euthanized. The court heard how Farrar fed her dogs a 'pasta diet,' which led to severe malnutrition. Tragically, herStaffordshire Bull Terrier, Panda, collapsed and had to be put to sleep. Farrar also owned another Staffie named Budz, who was found in poor condition, covered in faeces and urine, and underweight.

When taken to the vet, Panda collapsed and was euthanized. Meanwhile, Budz was provided with food and water and responded well; within six weeks, he had quadrupled his body weight after being transitioned to a normal diet. An examining veterinarian stated that Panda was the most emaciated dog she had ever seen and believed she had been starved for about three weeks. No medical conditions were found that could explain the dogs’ malnutrition.

Farrar’s lawyer described her client as 'well-intentioned' but acknowledged her as 'incompetent' in terms of animal care. A post-mortem examination of Panda revealed undigested penne pasta in her stomach, confirming that Farrar had been feeding the dogs primarily a pasta-based diet.

Concerning sentencing, Farrar was initially sentenced to 18 weeks in jail; however, upon appeal, this was reduced to a 12-month community order. She was also banned for life from keeping animals.

Source: Northamptonshire Telegraph (article has since been removed)