62 pets kept in filthy 'zoo'

Chris Osuh

July 02, 2009

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A MOTHER and son who hoarded dozens of animals in a filthy makeshift zoo have been prosecuted by the RSPCA.

Pauline Fearon, 44, and her son Gareth Henderson, 22, used the internet to collect 62 pets who were unwanted by their original owners.

But they failed to provide food, clean water, the proper conditions or medical attention for them.

The pair were found guilty in their absence at Salford magistrates court of causing unnecessary suffering to three dogs found in an emaciated state with agonising skin conditions.

A rottweiler and a chihuahua had to be put down - the third dog, a collie, has recovered.

Ms Fearon and Mr Henderson, who are both unemployed, were also found guilty of failing to provide a proper environment for rodents, birds, reptiles and insects.

Magistrates heard that even after they were caught the family continued to take in animals and neglect them.

The RSPCA were first called to Ms Fearon's home, at Spar Crescent, Little Hulton, last September after the rottweiler collapsed.

Strarving

RSPCA officer Laura Bracegirdle found the dog starving and too weak to stand. His fur was moulting, yellow pus seeped from his failing eyes, and he had pressure sores. The other two dogs were both in a serious condition.

Four other dogs were constantly scratching because of fleas, and reptiles were kept without the necessary ultraviolet lighting and clean water.

The three dogs were taken away and Mrs Fearon and her son were formally warned to improve conditions for the other suffering animals.

But when Inspector Bracegirdle returned in October, she found the family had taken in twenty birds, including cockateels and canaries, which they were keeping in cramped cages.

Neglected turtles were also discovered, along with a bull snake, rat snakes, guinea pigs, a cat and kitten, and beetles.

Ms Fearon claimed she couldn't afford to look after the animals properly, but had treated the dogs left in her care for fleas. All animals were removed from the premises.

Prosecuting, David McCormick said: "The defendants simply had too many animals in a very small area and were quite unable to cope. All the animals were kept in filthy, overcrowded conditions without food and clean water."

The pair will be sentenced in August.

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Sarcastion Nastyface (02/07/2009 at 09:11)

The worst kind of scum.

This is the kind of cruelty that makes me the most angry.

Those poor, helpless animals. I get so upset every time I see news articles like this.

I hope they get a really harsh, draconian sentence that'll make them SORRY. I doubt these people are even capable of feeling the emotion "sorry", though.

Angie33 , Manchester (02/07/2009 at 09:53)

Hopefully this is a warning to people who have to give up a pet for any reason.Advertize it locally if you must so you can check out the people and the home its going to.Contact an animal sanctury or ask local vet if they know of anyone.Please dont give away and let them fall into the hands of people like this.I have a relative who was buying a horse recently and visited a few dealers in the Blackpool area.Neglected animals were a common sight and she has been distressed about them ever since.There are people who genuinly believe they are rescueing animals from death who then go on to keep them in conditions where they would be better off dead.How are they getting away with this.Its not exactly something easy to hide.Where do the RSPA COME INTO ALL THIS.ARE THEY PRO ACTIVE REGARDING DEALERS?

Sarcastion Nastyface (02/07/2009 at 11:50)

In a somwehat similar vein:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nottinghamshire/8129826.stm

THE POLICE KILLED TWO OF THEIR OWN DOGS BY LEAVING THEM IN A HOT CAR.

IPCC WON'T INVESTIGATE IT.

SO NO-ONE WILL BE PUNISHED FOR THE DOGS' DEATH.

THE POLICE WILL SAY "HOW TRAGIC IT WAS" AND FORGET ABOUT IT.

NO-ONE WILL BE MADE TO PAY.

sugar n spice, manchester (03/07/2009 at 00:17)

what fools these people must be taking in animals they cannot afford to look after.this only leads to the cruelty that became of these poor poor animals lets hope they get what they deserve and are banned from keeping any animal again.

Jan Elliott (03/07/2009 at 13:40)

Usually these folk when you see cases such as this on TV look as though they are somewhat simple, and they have no idea how to look after themselves, let alone the poor animals. Usually living in squalour themselves, they must think if it is good enough for them it must be good enough for the animals. Not condoning it, but it seems they just turn their backs and ignore the plight of their dumb prisoners.

someone somewhere, lancashire (16/07/2009 at 13:35)

This makes me sick,how low can 2 people go to do something as nasty as this to poor defencless animals.
Im extremely horrified at what i have read and i hope that they both get banned for life as they dont desrve the love and affection from animals.
They dont even know the meaning of the word love and affection and if courts were in a different kind of world id have hoped that they would have had what had been done to the animals done to them.
if they knew that they couldnt afford to look after them,why get them in the first place???? oh yer common sense would tell you that which is obviously something that they have deffinatly not got........
lock them up and throw away the key!!!!!

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