A woman who left a Staffie starving for more than three months has been banned from keeping pets.

Julie Kavanagh, 47, left Missy suffering and so skinny the dog’s hips, ribs and spine were showing through her skin.

She should have been 15kg, but weighed in at just 9kg and had been starved, a court heard.

RSPCA inspectors were called out on January 26 this year after concerns about the two-year-old canine.

Missy.Missy. (Image: RSPCA)

An inspector took her to a vet who said in a statement she had a “poor body condition due to not being provided with food”, South Tyneside Magistrates Court heard.

“The dog had been starved”, the vet added.

“The dog suffered through the mechanism of starvation and malnourishment. This is a painful and prolonged process in which physical and mental strain would have been immense. The length of suffering had likely been ongoing for three months, if not longer.”

It continued that Missy was able to eat when given food and so it could be assumed “the dog was deprived of food for a prolonged period of time resulting in the seen weight loss”.

Appearing before South Tyneside Magistrates Court earlier this month Kavanagh, of Chestnut Gardens, Gateshead pleaded guilty to causing the unnecessary suffering of an animal.

She was banned from keeping animals for five years and she was handed a 12-month community order, told to do 60 hours of unpaid work and pay £260 in costs and charges.

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The dog has since made a full recovery.

Speaking after the sentencing RSPCA inspector Keogh said: “Missy was left to suffer because she wasn’t being provided with a basic right which is food, which led to her being starved and losing muscle.

“Pet-owners have a responsibility by law to ensure their pet is well cared for. I’m just pleased that Missy made a full recovery from this.”