VETS have been forced to put a neglected dog to sleep because of an incurable skin condition which would have cost £100 a month to treat. 

Meg, a white English Bull Terrier, has been put down after a "difficult decision" was made by RSPCA staff. Meg had suffered substantial neglect at the hands of her owner's girlfriend, Kirsty Turner. 


Kirsty Turner  Turner, 29, of Stanley Road, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal when she appeared at Furness Magistrates Court on Monday.

The court heard that a resident had noticed Meg appeared to look highly underweight and reported their concerns to the RSPCA. Steven Marsh, representing the RSPCA, said they attempted to contact Turner on several occasions to allow an inspector to visit.

On August 27, Turner agreed to allow an RSPCA inspector to examine Meg. The court was told that Meg looked severely underweight with both her ribs and backbones clearly visible.

The dog had been suffering from lack of food, had urine stains on its behind, conjunctivitis in both eyes and significant fur loss due to skin disease.

The dog was seized by police and examined by a vet who then worked on the dog's health between September 3 and September 23. In this time, the dogs condition improved.

The vet reported that the conjunctivitis had cleared, body condition and weight had improved and bone prominence was not as bad.

However, the RSPCA has since revealed that Meg has been put down. A spokeswoman explained that it would have been extremely difficult to rehomse Meg after it became clear she was never going to be cured of her skin issues, and was going to need to be on over £100 of medication a month to keep her comfortable, for the rest of her life.

In court on Monday, magistrates heard Turner had been caring for the dog for her boyfriend, who has recently served a prison sentence.

Miss Karen Templeton, defending, said: "Miss Turner believed that because the conditions such as the conjunctivitis would only occur every few weeks, she believed it was not necessary to seek a vet.

"This was not a deliberate act of neglect and the fact that her judgment has been proven so different from reality has left her with no confidence in herself."

A second dog has since been signed over by Turner to the RSPCA.

Turner was given a five-year ban from keeping or owning pets, a 16-week curfew from 6pm to 6am and was ordered to pay contributions to the prosecution of £750, a £150 court charge and a £60 victim surcharge.