Neglectful Sheffield couple abandoned dying dog who was later found with rotting tongue & ruptured eye
A neglectful Sheffield couple who abandoned their dying dog, only for him to be found with a rotting tongue and ruptured eye, have been brought to justice.
Gary and Sally Harrison claimed eight-year-old shih tzu Blue, who they had owned since he was a puppy, had been found in a field about eight miles from their home in Sevenaires Road in Beighton, Sheffield.
But an investigation, carried out by the RSPCA, revealed the emaciated dog, who had a rotting tongue and a ruptured eye, belonged to them. Blue was in such a poor state when he was found that he was considered “beyond treatment” and was subsequently put down.
Recorder Abdul Iqbal told the couple at a sentencing hearing at Bradford Crown Court on March 28, 2025, that Blue’s suffering had come to light because of their “subterfuge and deceit” and neither of them had shown any remorse for what had happened to him.
Gary Harrison, aged 59, and 54-year-old Sally Harrison were both given 24-week prison sentences, suspended for 12 months, and disqualified from keeping dogs for 10 years, following an RSPCA prosecution.
They had both admitted one Animal Welfare Act offence at a hearing in April 2024 despite initially entering not guilty pleas.
The court was told that a woman and a man, who Sally Harrison claimed was her ‘uncle,’ had brought Blue into Sheffield City Council’s dog kennels on April 22, 2023, claiming the shih tzu had been found on a field next to some shops in Lowedges.
The dog was being carried in the bottom half of a plastic cat carrier and appeared very unwell and made no attempt to stand up.
The member of staff at the kennels described him as “emaciated” and “extremely lethargic” and there was a strong rotten smell coming from his mouth which she recognised as one of a dog with dental problems.
After completing a finder’s form the man and the women left, but suspicions had been raised about their behaviour. It ultimately came to light, established by the council’s kennels, that the dog belonged to Gary and Sally Harrison.
The RSPCA was contacted about the incident and the dog was collected by Inspector Leanne Booth and taken for immediate veterinary treatment.
In her evidence to the court, the Inspector said: “Blue was curled up in a bed and did not respond to his surroundings. I noticed a pungent smell coming from him and when I looked in his mouth I was horrified to see his tongue appeared to have rotted away. It nearly made me vomit as it (the smell) was so strong. The dog’s eyes were cloudy but one eye appeared to have ruptured.
“A short time later the same day I arrived at the vets where Blue was examined. It was quickly established by the vet that he needed to be put to sleep to prevent further suffering due to the state of his mouth and his overall condition and he would be more comfortable with minimal examination as it was too painful to do anything to him while he was conscious.”
In her written evidence to the court, the vet who examined Blue said he weighed 4.13kg (9.11lb) and had a body condition score of 1.5/9, where one is emaciated and nine is obese. He had bilateral sight loss, a deep ulcer in the right eye and changes consistent with cataracts in the left.
The police attended and took Blue into their possession under the Animal Welfare Act. They agreed he should be put to sleep and a full examination was then carried out. It showed Blue had dental disease and the tip of his tongue had started to shed, showing changes consistent with infection and necrosis.
“Due to the severity of dental disease and emaciation I believe Blue would have been suffering for many months” said the vet.
Both defendants were interviewed by Inspector Booth and maintained they had rehomed Blue in around October 2022. Gary Harrison was shown images of the dog taken by his wife. He said the shih tzu he had handed into the council’s kennels was not the same animal as it “didn’t respond to his name.”
Asked if he didn’t recognise the dog he had owned since 2018 he replied “no” and said he hadn’t seen Blue since the end of October when he’d rehomed him to a young couple. He denied the dog had been in his care and he had failed to get veterinary treatment and had taken him to the stray dog kennels to avoid getting into trouble.
Sally Harrison said Blue belonged to her husband and she had last seen him in October 2022 when he had given him away. She was asked if it was a coincidence that Blue had been found in such a poor condition just months after they had rehomed him and she replied “no, he’s never looked like that, he was always healthy.”
Sentencing the couple, Recorder Iqbal said Blue was in later life and would have been in extreme pain, which would have been plain to any reasonable observer.
He said: “He was moribund. He was considered beyond any attempted treatment. He was in such a poor state of suffering the only merciful thing was for him to be put out of his misery. You are both responsible for causing that suffering.
“When you both pleaded not guilty on the basis this was not your dog you were telling lies. On the day of trial, you each changed your pleas but when you were interviewed by the probation service you returned to those lies again.
“Any person with a degree of humanity would have recognised the signs of suffering. The suffering in this case came to light not because you decided to treat your dog but because of subterfuge and deceit. You both attempted to spin a web of lies and you each bare your own responsibility for the suffering that followed.
“This is a serious case. Animals are properly protected and humans who take on ownership have a responsibility to act with sensitivity, kindness and due diligence. You each failed miserably. You have each behaved in a particularly cruel way towards your dog.”
In mitigation the court heard that Gary Harrison now admitted culpability and had expressed remorse.
It was said his initial attempt to hide the truth was as a result of him panicking at the possible consequences of a conviction. He had been admitted to hospital in 2022 with a suspected brain virus which had left him suffering a disability. His health has deteriorated since and he accepted he was not capable of looking after dogs.
Sally Harrison’s solicitor echoed the submissions put forward for Gary Harrison. The court was told the other family dog had been rehomed and there were “strong grounds” to believe she could be rehabilitated in the community.
Gary Harrison was also ordered to carry out up to 15 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement Days and pay costs of £750, a fine of £500 and a £154 victim surcharge. The same costs were awarded against Sally Harrison, who was also given 100 hours of unpaid work.
Speaking after the sentencing hearing Inspector Booth said: “This was a really upsetting case and I’d like to thank the local authority for their help and assistance with it. It’s clear that Blue was once a family pet but the people he depended on continually denied any responsibility for his condition. They didn’t ensure that Blue received the veterinary care he so desperately needed and this little dog suffered terribly as a result.”