CONVICTED (2019) | Nicole Lauren Jones, born 19 May 2000, of Kitchener Terrace, Ferryhill DL17 8AX – left dogs to starve to death in her filthy home Teenage mother Nicole Jones allowed two of her dogs to starve to death after buying a third Mother-of-one Jones admitted three offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 after allowing two of her three dogs to starve to death. The then 19-year-old placed the animals in shocking conditions and left them to forage among the junk scattered throughout the house. Jones kept the animals, including lurcher Gypsy, in shocking conditions and left them to forage among the junk scattered throughout the house RSPCA inspector found one dog lying dead next to a chewed up Pot Noodle carton The pets knocked over a pot of paint and left a heart-breaking trail of paw prints all over the surfaces and inside the fridges as they desperately searched for food. One dog was found by RSPCA inspectors lying dead next to a chewed up Pot Noodle carton. Another was rescued by the charity but had to be put to sleep because she was so emaciated, RSPCA inspector Garry Palmer attended Jones’ home on 12 January 2019 He said: ‘I could see through the window that the conditions inside were awful with dog faeces and household rubbish littered throughout. ‘There was a young tan and white crossbreed curled up on the floor dead next to a chewed-up Pot Noodle pot. ‘Two surviving dogs, a young male Rottweiler called Bronson and a grey long-haired lurcher called Gypsy, were both obviously very underweight.’ Insp Palmer added: ‘Gypsy was laid out on a settee and appeared very weak and listless. ‘She barely moved when I knocked on the window. ‘When we got inside, we found a tub of fence paint in the house had been knocked over revealing paw prints on top of the worktops and even inside the empty fridge. It was a very upsetting scene.’ The surviving dogs were immediately taken to a veterinary surgery for emergency treatment. The two surviving dogs were immediately taken to a veterinary surgery for emergency treatment, but only Gypsy survived Gypsy was very emaciated. As soon as she was offered food and water she ate and drank immediately. She continued to eat well while hospitalised, being fed small amounts four times a day, and she gained 45% of her original body weight in less than three weeks. Sadly, Bronson was put to sleep on veterinary advice. Insp Palmer described the dead dog in the house as the most underweight dog he had ever encountered. He said: ‘In my opinion this is as bad as it gets – depriving animals of their basic needs of food and water and as a consequence one dog paid the ultimate price.’ Gypsy was nursed back to health and is seen here in her loving new home The RSPCA had given Jones advice in September 2018, yet she ignored this advice and made things worse by taking on a third dog in the meantime. ‘She could have easily contacted the RSPCA for help’, Palmer added. Sentencing | 12 weeks in prison suspended for 18 months; 20-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement; £400 costs and £115 victim surcharge. Disqualified from keeping animals for ten years, with no appeal to have this lifted for seven years. Metro Chronicle Live