A man who badly neglected two dogs in his care has been given a five-year ban on owning dogs and a £200 fine, following a Scottish SPCA investigation.

Andrew William McPherson admitted he failed to provide a nutritionally adequate diet or veterinary treatment for Zara, a seven-year-old female German Shepherd and Bobo a 16-year-old male crossbreed.

The 39-year-old, of Harris Place, Airdrie, pleaded guilty under Section 19 of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 for causing unnecessary suffering and for failing to provide veterinary treatment for the dogs.

Scottish SPCA inspector Emma Sergeant welcomed the result, saying, “We are pleased McPherson has been handed a ban for this level of neglect.

“McPherson has been known to the Scottish SPCA since 2018. We have tried on several occasions to provide him with guidance and advice on how to care for his animals.

“After some improvement in the condition of Zara and Bobo following our initial intervention, we were frustrated and disappointed to see the deterioration in the dogs when we attended the address in September 2019.

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“The living conditions were dirty and cluttered, with piles of litter on the floor and household items stacked in other rooms, making them inaccessible.

“The dogs were severely underweight with both their hip bones and ribs visible. Their nails were also very overgrown, which would have caused the animals a lot of discomfort.

“During our visit, some dog food was accidentally spilled on the floor and the dogs were so hungry they began to fight each other for the food.

“It would have taken months”

“On veterinary examination it was established that the dogs had no underlying medical conditions and they easily put on weight while in our care.

“It would have taken months for the dogs to get into the condition they did. This did not happen overnight.

“McPherson clearly did not learn from past advice and intervention. Ultimately his two dogs were caused unnecessary suffering as a result.

“Providing an animal with a basic level of nutrition to stay healthy should not be a difficult task.

“We hope this sentence makes McPherson consider his ability to be able to look after any animal in the future.

“Thankfully, both Zara and Bobo went from strength to strength in our care and were successfully rehomed. They will now receive the love and attention they deserve for the rest of their lives.

“If anyone suspects an animal has been neglected or abandoned they should call our confidential animal helpline on 03000 999 999.”

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Scottish SPCA investigation leads to five-year ban for dog owner