A West Midlands woman has been banned from owning animals for 15 years after her dog was left to suffer in an emaciated state. 

Colleen Rathbone (date of birth: 14/01/1993), of Portobello Close, Willenhall, was also sentenced to four months custody, suspended for 12 months, after pleading guilty to two animal welfare offences, following an investigation and prosecution by the RSPCA. Thirteen year-old Staffordshire Bull, Mo, was taken to a vet by Rathbone on 7 March last year in a collapsed and emaciated condition.

The vet euthanized her on welfare grounds but contacted the RSPCA with concerns that Mo had suffered from prolonged neglect. In their report, the vet said: “The poor body condition, emaciation and hypoglycaemia are likely due to inadequate food intake, malnutrition or disease.

“This level of emaciation and muscle wastage would have been a gradual development and taken at least 12-16 weeks to develop. To give comparison to Mo's presenting body weight of 8.6kg (19lb), she weighed 18.5kg (40.8lb) when microchipped (in 2014).


“The owner reported the dark discharge matted around Mo's anus was due to dragging the dog along the garden after she collapsed. The copious amounts of melaena passed following euthanasia confirmed this was not the case.

“Melaena is caused by bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract and is likely due to stress, neoplasia or liver or kidney failure. In my opinion it is unlikely that Mo had passed a motion of normal consistency the day before her examination in view of the extent of the melaena seen. 


“She said Mo felt cold to the touch because she had been left outside in the garden during the course of the day since she collapsed. A rectal temperature of less than 32 degrees Celsius would not in my opinion be caused by this. It was likely caused by circulatory collapse secondary to her poor condition. 

“The low heart rate, prolonged capillary refill time, pale mucous membranes and hypothermia are likely to reflect circulatory compromise and shock.  In my professional opinion the owner has failed to provide for the dog’s welfare by failing to protect her from pain, suffering and disease.

“This is likely to have been occurring for a minimum of 12 weeks. As a result of this failure, it is my professional opinion that the owner led to the dog experiencing unnecessary pain and suffering.

“This level of suffering could have been avoided by attending to her needs appropriately and seeking veterinary treatment and care.” Alongside the 15-year animal disqualification, which she cannot appeal for ten years, she must pay £350 costs and a £154 victim surcharge.

She was also ordered to carry out 25 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR) days when she was sentenced at Birmingham Magistrates Court. In mitigation it was said she was sorry, and she did her best.


RSPCA Inspector Fiona Howell, who investigated for the animal welfare charity, said: “Mo was in extremely poor body condition and had been losing weight for some time. No veterinary advice had been sought, instead she was left to suffer without the care she clearly needed.”

That on and before 7 March 2024 at Portobello Close, Willenhall, you did cause unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, namely a female Staffordshire Bull Terrier named Mo by failing to do an act namely failing to adequately investigate and address her weight loss and poor body condition, and that you knew or ought reasonably to have known that your failure would have the effect of causing unnecessary suffering or be likely to do so. Contrary to section 4 subsection 1 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006