I WAS horrified to read of the animals a pet shop owner left to die, after he boarded up his shop (LET, March 19). The court was told he was an animal lover at heart -- words fail me.

He was said to have been overtaken by a bout of illness and that he tried to get someone else to look after the shop but couldn't.

The RSPCA would have taken the animals before they were subjected to any suffering if he had told them he was unable to cope. He was given three months for the 11 charges of cruelty he admitted.

I was brought up with animals and I am a real animal lover. To read what he did to those poor animals makes my blood boil.

A O'SULLIVAN (Mrs), Booth Road, Waterfoot, Rossendale .