Woman left Staffordshire Bull Terrier to die in a cage while she went on holiday for two weeks

A woman who left her dog to die while she went on holiday has been spared jail after her pet's eyes fell out and its flesh was chewed on by maggots.

Jade Roberts, 26, pled guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to Daisy, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

When the RSPCA attended her Liverpool home after the charity received a welfare call, inspector Leanne Cragg found Daisy was already dead.

Ms Cragg said: 'On entering the property I was hit by an overpowering stench of decomposing flesh. There were a lot of live flies flying about the property.

Daisy's eyes were gone, her cage was full of faeces and maggots swarmed the place.

Roberts claimed an undisclosed friend was enlisted to look after the pet. 

Daisy had last been alive on July 31, 2021, when Roberts went on holiday for 14 days.

Ms Cragg found Daisy's grim corpse in August 2021. 

The inspector said: 'I could see a dead, decomposing brindle and white Staffordshire Bull Terrier-type dog at one end of a large cage in the front room.

'The base of the cage was covered in a layer of old faeces. At the front of the cage there was a turquoise plastic bowl upside down, a metal bowl of dried food and another metal bowl which was empty. 

 'The property was messy and dirty with clothes and rubbish strewn all over the furniture and floor. 

'I removed Daisy from the cage and I could see that her body was very badly decomposed with her eyes were missing, there were holes straight through her body and there were a lot of maggots of varying sizes.'

Following sentencing, Inspector Cragg added: 'It was a very sad sight and one which could easily have been avoided.'

Roberts was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

She must also undergo mental health treatment requirement for six months and pay a victim surcharge of £128 at Northampton Magistrates' Court on April 21.

Roberts was also banned from keeping all animals for 10 years and ordered to pay £500 in costs.

She had previously pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering by leaving Daisy unattended without sufficient food and water resulting in her death.

In mitigation, Roberts claimed she was unaware Daisy was not being cared for as she had arranged for an undisclosed friend to look after Daisy while she was away. 

Roberts also expressed genuine remorse for Daisy's death. She said she was dealing with personal issues at the time.