WALPOLE ST PETER: Couple banned from keeping animals for seven years

A husband and wife have been banned from keeping animals for seven years and ordered to pay more than £2,800 in costs and fines after pleading guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to their dog. Magistrates at Swaffham also ordered that Kathleen Quantr

A husband and wife have been banned from keeping animals for seven years and ordered to pay more than £2,800 in costs and fines after pleading guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to their dog.

Magistrates at Swaffham also ordered that Kathleen Quantrill, 48, and her husband Paul, 53, of Chalk Road, Walpole St Peter, have all their other animals, believed to include cats, dogs and guinea pigs, confiscated immediately.

Mrs Quantrill was also ordered to do 130 hours of unpaid work while Mr Quantrill was fined £500.

Between them they will have to pay total costs of £2,896.

In November 2007, the Quantrills' 14-old pet German shepherd, Chloe, was found by RSPCA inspectors with an extremely matted coat and a wound to her side which had not been treated. She was also underweight.

The examining vet found that she had suffered for at least a month from the untreated wound and for two months from the matted coat.

Speaking after the hearing, RSPCA inspector Jon Knight said: "I am pleased that the court took this matter so seriously.

"Leaving an animal with such poor living conditions and with an untreated wound is not acceptable and in no way meets the standards of care that are expected of a caring owner."

Chloe is now in the permanent care of the RSPCA.

Kathleen Quantrill, has said she will be appealing against the conviction.