Manningtree woman jailed for 34 weeks for breaching pet ban

Deborah Fuller, of Harwich Road, Lawford, has been jailed for 34 weeks after pleading guilty to six offences of breaching a disqulification order, relating to three dogs, two cats and six horses. 

Colchester Magistrates' Court heard that during a warrant of Fuller's home in February 2022 two dogs - a Rhodesian Ridgeback and a Basset Hound - and a cat were removed from the property. 

The basset hound was found in a locked cage (Image: RSPCA)

The warrant was carried out with police following reports that she was in breach of a ban imposed on her in April 2021.

The Basset Hound was found in a caravan tethered on a short metal chain inside a cage, which had been shut with cable ties.

RSPCA inspector Caroline Richardson said: “There was no water, no food, not even an empty bowl where the dog may have had water. There was torn-up bedding piled up underneath the dog. 

“The dog was unable to move properly due to the chain.

"He could not access all of his crate as his chain held him to one end, and even when sitting up at the end he was confined to, the chain pulled taut against his fur.

“The dog would not even have been able to turn around without some difficulty, and made no attempt to do so while we were there.”

Documents found at the home also led the RSPCA to locating horses being kept at a local livery yard which Fuller jointly owned with another person.

The cat was found under the bed during an inspection (Image: RSPCA)

Three of the horses were kept in a field in Woodbridge. 

The court heard that the RSPCA carried out another check of Fuller's home in October. 

An inspector found she had hidden a cat under her bed and a Jack Russell was also found upstairs. 

As well as the prison sentence, she was given an additional seven-year ban on keeping animals and ordered to pay costs of £1,000 and a £127 victim surcharge.