Mother and son kept dozens of pets in squalor (From This Is Lancashire)

Mother and son kept dozens of pets in squalor

8:03am Wednesday 23rd September 2009

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A MOTHER and son kept scores of animals in a menagerie of misery in their home.

Pauline Fearon, aged 45, and her son, Gareth Henderson, aged 22, kept an assortment of 65 pets, including dogs, cats, rodents, guinea pigs, canaries, budgies, finches, rabbits, terrapins, geckos, snakes, turtles, lizards and cockatiels. The pair, who live in Spa Crescent, Little Hulton, obtained all the animals free via the internet from a website which offers homes to unwanted animals.

Of the pets, 32 were caused to suffer or were kept in cramped and squalid conditions, Salford Magistrates Court heard yesterday.

Fearon and Henderson were both found guilty at an earlier hearing of causing unnecessary suffering to three dogs and of confining 29 other animals in a poor environment.

The RSPCA was first alerted to the problems when it received a complaint that a dog had collapsed at Fearon’s house.

An inspector visited in September 2008 and found three dogs — all of which were emaciated and suffering from a skin condition which made clumps of their fur fall out.

Wheelchair user Fearon — chairman of her local residents’ association and a charity shop volunteer — told the inspector she was saving up to have the dogs put down, but could not afford it at the moment because she was on benefits.

The inspector took the dogs away, but when she returned a month later, Fearon and Henderson had more pets — scores of birds, reptiles and other animals, many of which were being kept in cramped cages and without the proper equipment or temperature regulation.

One, a plated lizard, was dead.

Anna McDonald, prosecuting, said: “All three dogs were caused to suffer because of inadequate diet.

“They suffered from starvation and had no veterinary care. The owners simply could not cope with the amount of animals they had in the house.”

Two of the dogs, Tufty and Woody, later had to be put down, but the third, Merlin, has been re-homed.

For Fearon, Tim Andrew said: “They were drawn in by the availability of finding free pets on the internet.

“Quite frankly, they’re not in a financial position to look after these animals and that is the absolute bottom line.

“They tried to do what they could, but clearly it wasn’t enough.”

Duncan Phillips, defending Henderson, said: “This is a family that has clearly taken on too many responsibilities and been overwhelmed.”

Fearon and Henderson agreed to hand all the remaining animals to the RSPCA, which is seeking £16,000 costs and a lifetime ban on keeping pets for the pair.

Their case was adjourned until November 12 for the preparation of reports, but and the chair of the bench, Michael Johnson, warned that all options would be open, including jail.

He said: “We have to remember that the harm caused was to the welfare of animals and two dogs were put down.”

julian.thorpe@ theboltonnews.co.uk

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