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A cat owner is prohibited from keeping animals for 10 years after two pets have been malnourished by their brother.
20-year-old Mark Scott did nothing to ensure that 21-year-old Stephen Scott properly fed Shadow and one-year-old tiger on the property on Vine Street in South Shields in early 2020.
Although he gave his sibling 30 pounds a month for pet food, the cats remained malnourished and lost about 20% of their body weight, a court heard.
The black three-year-old Shadow was 1.1 kg below its optimal healthy weight, and the tabby tigress was also visibly thinner when the RSPCA inspectors intervened.
Two of Stephen Scott’s cats were in such poor health that they were euthanized, and two others and a dog had to be nursed back to health.
In March, he pleaded guilty to five animal cruelty charges between January 1 and February 4, 2020 – and received an indefinite ban on owning or caring for animals.
Warehouse worker Mark Scott has now followed suit after pleading guilty for failing to prevent another person from causing unnecessary harm to an animal.
Shadow the cat removed by Stephen Scott
(Image: RSPCA)
RSPCA Attorney Alex Bousfield told South Tyneside magistrates that Mark Scott had been “disappointed” with his brother for the month beginning January 4th.
He said, “Mark Scott and his brother lived with several animals at the address. Stephen Scott was responsible for a number of cats and a dog.
“Mark Scott had a lot of problems in his life and was able to live in an address where the cats were allowed to stay.
“He felt obliged to give these animals to his brother for care. He said in the interview that he gave his brother 30 pounds a month for food.
“To be fair, his brother appears to have failed Mark, but during the investigation it became clear that Mark was continuing the suffering of these animals.
“To do him his honor, he said so much in the interview. He knew there were problems and had tried to get his brother to sort it out. “
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On the subject of matching items
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On the subject of matching items
Mr Bousfield said her youth made it impossible to assign an optimal weight to Tiger.
However, he revealed that both cats that were rehabilitated scored two out of nine in the RSPCA health rating – and both had flea problems.
David Forrester, who defended himself, said, “He has no previous beliefs.
“He wasn’t supposed to have malnourished her on purpose, but he was in the house between December and the arrival of the RSPCA.
“In fact, the cats were 20% less than their body weight.
Mark Scott before South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court in South Shields.
(Image: ChronicleLive)
“When interviewed, he gave a full report as opposed to his brother who basically ran away from giving a full report.
“The first thing he said was, ‘I gave my brother the money to feed her and thought it was him.’
“His cats were malnourished, so it is his legal fault that his brother didn’t feed them properly.”
The judges told Mark Scott, who had denied the charges but pleaded guilty on the day of the trial, that he could request his ban lifted after two years.
They fined him £ 162, £ 600 court costs and a £ 34 victim surcharge, and awarded the RSPCA £ 250 in costs from Central Court funds.
Although he has no previous convictions, the hearing was told he owed the courts fines of £ 2,300 for the tube.
In addition to being banned, Stephen Scott also received an 18-month joint injunction requiring up to 26 days of rehabilitation work with the probation service.
And Stephen Scott of Hillsview Avenue in Fawdon, Newcastle, has to do 150 hours of unpaid work and pay £ 400 court costs and £ 85 victim surcharge.
