Animal ban over filthy and unsanitary home

A woman has been given a lifetime ban from keeping animals after five dogs and two cats were found living in filthy conditions.

RSPCA inspectors said parts of Nicole Stoker's home in Moorhouse Avenue, Bradford, were "ankle deep with faeces" and covered in rubbish.

The 45-year-old was handed the ban after she pleaded guilty to an animal welfare offence at Bradford Magistrates' Court.

She was also given a three-month jail term, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to pay costs of £250 and a £154 victim surcharge.

The hearing, on 27 November, heard RSPCA inspector Rebecca Goulding visited Stoker's property in April following a call to the charity's cruelty line.

On arrival Ms Goulding she found a cane corso type dog, called Nala, in a downstairs living room where "the floor was covered in faeces; such that the original flooring could not be seen".

She said the there was also a sofa that had been destroyed by the dog and a number of black bin liners of rubbish that had been torn open.

There were also scratch marks on the doors and damage to the plaster on the walls where the dog had got through to brick.

Ms Goulding said two cats, Shadow and Stitch, and two dogs were found in the kitchen, which she said was "ankle deep with faeces in places".

She said the upstairs of the property was in a similar condition with large amounts of "fresh and mouldy faeces" in the bathroom and the front bedroom.

"The cleanest room in the house was Stoker's bedroom, this had no faeces anywhere, but was unkempt with household rubbish in it," she said.

She said the smell of faeces and ammonia in the property was overpowering.

Stoker admitted to Ms Goulding it was several months since the dogs had been walked, and both cats were house cats.

She said that conditions in the house had deteriorated to this state in the previous six months.

In mitigation, it was said Stoker had been "completely out of her depth" regarding the number of pets she had.

The charity said all the pets were taken to the RSPCA's Greater Manchester Animal Hospital where, due to behavioural issues and a lack of socialisation, two of the dogs had to be put down.

Nala has since been rehomed and another dog is due to be made available for rehoming soon, the RSPCA said.

The two cats are also looking for a new home together.

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