CONVICTED: Was justice served?
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Rabbit neglect - 5 dead, 11 dehydrated
Carlisle, EN (UK)Incident Date: Friday, Dec 24, 2004
Disposition: Convicted
Defendant/Suspect: Keith Cleminson
A man who allowed rabbits to starve to death in these hutches outside his rented home in Carlisle has been banned for life from keeping animals. Keith Cleminson, who was too busy working to look after the pets properly, was warned that he faces three months in jail if he breaches the order.
The 47-year-old, who now lives in Welsh Road, Harraby, Carlisle, must also carry out 200 hours of unpaid work in the community and pay prosecution costs of £2,271.52.
Cleminson admitted 16 offences of causing unnecessary suffering to animals between December 24, 2003 and December 31, 2003, when he appeared before city magistrates yesterday.
Inspector Chris Towler, of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, discovered five dead and 11 dehydrated rabbits at Cleminson’s former home in Jubilee Road, Carlisle, following an anonymous tip-off.
And following the hour-long hearing yesterday, during which photographs and a video were shown to the magistrates, he welcomed the decision to ban Cleminson from keeping animals for life.
He said: “This was probably the worst case of cruelty involving caged animals that I have dealt with since coming to Carlisle seven years ago. Hopefully this sentence will act as a deterrent to others.
“Looking after animals is an enormous responsibility and it is for their entire lives. Once work commitments meant Mr Cleminson could not do that properly, he should have contacted animal welfare organisations.
“This case was also important in that it shows we do not only look after the welfare of cats and dogs.
“In fact, it is my belief that caged animals suffer an awful lot and, of course, they have to suffer in silence.
“Mr Cleminson will be able to apply to look after animals again at a later date but for the moment I’m sure the public will act as our eyes and ears and inform us if he is looking after them again.”
Prosecutor Peter Sharp told the bench that some of the rabbits were in hutches containing so such excrement they could not stand properly while others were left without food or water.
Willie Mark-Bell, defending, said Cleminson had been working very long hours at the time and could not cope with looking after the animals.
He had tried to visit them early each day but had not always been able to gain access to them.
Cleminson had served a total of 15 days in prison on remand following his previous court appearance when magistrates had requested probation reports. That had proved an eye-opener and he never wanted to return there. References
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