A MAN has been banned from keeping animals after a dog was found so starved she was “very close to death”, a court has heard.

David James Etchells, 24, of Dymond Court, Bodmin, pleaded guilty to an animal welfare offence following an investigation by the RSPCA.

Roxy, a Staffordshire bull terrier cross, was rescued by an RSPCA officer after being discovered collapsed inside his home, with her bones clearly visible and her body severely emaciated.

A vet who examined her said she had a body condition score of just one out of nine, where four to five is considered healthy. She was so weak she could not stand and was only just able to lift her head.

The court heard that Roxy had suffered extreme muscle loss across her body, along with ulcers on both wrists, damage to the end of her tail and skin irritation across her lower back.

Experts concluded she had been without an appropriate diet for several weeks, possibly months, leaving her in pain and distress. She would have suffered hunger, stomach cramps and emotional stress as her condition worsened.

The vet told the court it would have been obvious to any owner that the dog was losing weight and needed feeding, describing her condition as life-threatening.

Etchells was sentenced at Bodmin Magistrates’ Court on March 24. He was banned from keeping animals for eight years, a ban he cannot appeal for four years, except for fish. He was also ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work and pay £400 costs and a £114 surcharge.

In mitigation, he said he was sorry and claimed he had no job or money at the time.

Thankfully, Roxy has since made a remarkable recovery, gaining more than 8kg in just three months and has now been successfully rehomed.