A SOUTH Yorkshire man who kept his two pets - including an elderly dog suffering from arthritis - outside in a cold and dirty pen has been banned from keeping animals for two years.
Kevin Henley-Smith, aged 28, also failed to feed 14-year-old German shepherd Troy and two-year-old Japanese Akita cross Kia for days on end.
When they were discovered by RSPCA Inspector Leanne Booth in December last year they were underweight, fre
ezing and living in a pen littered with faeces next to a disused barn in Turnshaw Road, Ulley, Rotherham.
She said: "When we arrived it was very cold - the temperature was registered at 2C - and the pen was situated across from a very open field, meaning it got the full force of the wind.
"Troy was obviously elderly and very ill, suffering with arthritis. These elements made his condition a lot worse and he was finding it very difficult to move around."
She added: "People often think that just because they don't hit their dogs they are not being cruel, but failing to provide food and a suitable environment can be just as damaging. It can cause a long, drawn-out death which is often more painful."
A vet's examination found Troy weighed just 15.5kg - compared to a normal weight of between 34 and 43kg for a dog of his breed and age - and Kia was 27.5 kg - compared to an expected weight of 35kg.
Both dogs have now made a full recovery and are living with new owners.
Henley-Smith, of Hollowgate, pleaded guilty to two counts of failing to provide an appropriate environment for the dogs, and one count of failing to provide veterinary treatment. He was banned from keeping animals for two years, fined £135 plus £50 costs at Rotherham Magistrates' Court.
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