A COUPLE have been fined £100 each and after leaving a dog to starve.
Graham and Amanda Warford pleaded guilty at Bishop Auckland Magistrates' Court yesterday to causing unnecessary suffering to the German shepherd dog.
RSPCA prosecutor Kevin Campbell said officer Garry Palmer saw the dog in the back yard of the couple's home, in Borough Road, Darlington last October.
He said: "He saw the dog cowering and shivering in the corner of the yard.
"The officer could see how underweight he was. The skull, hip, spine and rib cage were visible."
Defence solicitor Graham Hunsley said it was a stray which they had taken in, but with three children and other pets, they already had enough responsibility. The animal has since regained weight in a foster home.
The couple were also ordered to pay £50 costs, but were not banned from keeping animals because it would put the lives of their other pets in jeopardy
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article