ZACH COOK FROM BARTON HILL SENTENCED AFTER LEAVING DOGS TO STARVE IN BRISTOL FLAT

Zach Cook, a career criminal with a troubling history, was involved in a heinous act of animal cruelty that shocked the residents of Bristol, particularly those living in the Barton Hill area. Cook, born on February 25, 1992, and known to some as John Gage, was last recorded residing at Beaufort House on Strawbridge Road. His latest act of neglect involved abandoning two dogs, Ruby and Blacky, in a high-rise flat, where they were left to suffer and eventually die from starvation.

Neighbors in the vicinity of Beaufort House reported a foul stench emanating from Cook’s flat, which prompted concern and ultimately led to police intervention. When authorities gained entry, they discovered the two dogs in a deplorable state—emaciated, weak, and confined within a small, enclosed balcony area that was covered in filth, including faeces and urine. The conditions were so appalling that neither of the dogs could be saved, and both had to be euthanized by a veterinarian.

Ruby, believed to be a cross between a Staffordshire Bull Terrier and a Rhodesian Ridgeback, was found in a state of extreme neglect. She was so weak that she was unable to stand and had collapsed onto the filthy floor. Blacky, her companion, was found cowering next to her, visibly underweight with all his bones protruding. The RSPCA inspector, Dan Hatfield, who investigated the case, described the scene as one of “horrendous cruelty and neglect.”

Inspector Hatfield recounted that Cook’s method of abandoning his pets was callous—simply shutting them onto the balcony and ignoring their suffering. “His way of dealing with no longer wanting to care for his dogs was to pretend they didn’t exist while he continued to live his life in the flat attached to the balcony,” he explained. When the dogs were discovered, Blacky was so thin that his bones were clearly visible, and Ruby was in a dire state, unable to get to her feet and lying in the filth. She was so exhausted and starved that she had to be carried out in a basket, wagging her tail weakly as a final act of love despite her suffering.

Both dogs were subsequently euthanized to end their pain. The RSPCA condemned Cook’s actions, emphasizing that there are no justifiable reasons for such cruelty. They urged pet owners who are unable to care for their animals to seek help before neglect reaches such tragic levels.

In addition to the animal cruelty charges, Zach Cook admitted to two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to the animals and two counts of failing to meet their basic needs. His criminal record includes a previous conviction from March 2017, when he was sentenced to six years and two months in prison for a violent home invasion in Bristol city centre, during which he and accomplices Micky Revill and Jordan Talbot threatened a woman with a knife and demanded money.

As of November 2019, Cook had been released from prison, but his current whereabouts remain unknown. His latest sentencing for the animal cruelty case resulted in an 18-week jail term, along with a lifetime ban on keeping animals. The case has drawn significant attention from the local community and animal welfare advocates, highlighting the importance of responsible pet ownership and the need for vigilance against neglect and cruelty.