A man and a woman from Harold Hill have been banned from keeping animals for life for causing suffering to “lovely little” rottweiler Roxy after an RSPCA inspector found her “emaciated” and sitting in her own urine.

Romford Recorder: Roxy the rottweiler. Picture: RSPCARoxy the rottweiler. Picture: RSPCA (Image: Archant)

Trevor Lewis, 27, and Mandy Smith, 29, both of Grange Road, Harold Hill, ate dinner next to the caged black and tan dog but failed to fix its poor body condition.

RSPCA inspector Emily Collins said: “This case really hit me hard - I felt so sorry for poor Roxy.

“I found her in the corner of the living room in a cage - and it was clear she was kept there nearly all the time - shut away and forgotten about without any proper care.

“The lovely little rottweiler was just sitting there in her own urine in an emaciated state. She had no food or water.

“What got me the most is she was being kept right next to the family as they ate their dinner, but it was as if they just didn’t see or notice her.

“She’s a lovely little rottweiler, despite what she has been through and I am really pleased to say she has now been nursed back to health and rehomed.”

Lewis and Smith pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering by failing to address the causes of the poor body condition and weight loss, failing to meet its need for a suitable environment, and failing to meet its need for a supply of fresh drinking water.

They received the life ban on Tuesday last week at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court for the offences that took place in January and February.

Lewis was ordered to pay £500 costs and Smith must pay a £15 victim surcharge.

Both applied for the money to be taken from their benefits.

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