RHIANNE SAVILLE FROM CARDIFF SENTENCED FOR STARVING DOG TO DEATH

Rhianne Victoria Saville, born on March 21, 1996, and residing at Cathcob Close, St Mellons, Cardiff CF3 0AH, was convicted in 2022 of starving a young dog to death. The mother of one was sentenced to an eight-week prison term, suspended for two years, and received 10 days of Rehabilitation Activity along with a fines of £400. Additionally, she was given a five-year ban on keeping all animals, which will expire in September 2027.

Saville admitted to failing to properly investigate or address the reasons behind the poor condition of a three-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier named Dior, which she had care of under an arrangement with the dog’s previous owner. She acknowledged neglecting to examine or treat Dior’s weight loss, pressure sores on her hocks, and other health issues.

A written statement from RSPCA inspector Christine McNeil detailed that Saville initially took care of Dior due to an agreement with the dog’s former owner. The inspector explained, "Having seen photographs of Dior’s poor bodily condition, the original owner requested that the dog be returned to him. Sadly, Dior died shortly after being returned."

Inspector McNeil further described the condition of Dior’s body when she was shown the remains on January 5, 2022, following a report of neglect. "The body was extremely thin, with no muscle coverage; the spine, hips, and ribs were all visibly prominent and easily felt. Her head was sunken above the eyes," she said. The inspector also noted sores on Dior’s hocks and the undersides of her back feet, as well as wounds on her right wrist joint and left front paw. Hair loss at the base of the tail was also observed.

A veterinarian’s statement confirmed Dior was examined on January 6, 2022, and a post-mortem was conducted. The vet reported, "On examination, the body was severely emaciated with almost no muscle mass and pressure sores on both hocks and a wound on the front of the right carpus (wrist joint). The post-mortem report concluded that the weight loss was caused by reduced nutrition, with no underlying health issues detected."

The veterinarian explained that based on calculations and the typical weight of an female Staffordshire bull terrier at around 11 kg, Dior’s weight reduction from 11 kg to 6.67 kg could have taken approximately ten to eleven weeks if no food was consumed, longer if some food had been available. "This indicates the dog suffered for a prolonged period of at least eleven weeks before her death," the report stated.