A WOMAN has been banned from keeping dogs after leaving her pets in squalor.
Saskia Manning's living room was infested with fleas and insects and strewn with rubbish when her house was raided.
Her two dogs, a collie cross called Holly and a Borzoi called Milly, were covered in urine and excrement.
RSPCA Inspector Hannah Bryer, who visited Manning's home in Ashton Close, north Hull, said: "Inside the premises, the smell of was pungent. My eyes began to water quickly after entering the living area of the bungalow.
"Flies and insects were seen in abundance within the living area.
"The sofa and curtains were heavily stained and the surfaces of the furniture and floor were littered with rubbish and household items."
Two bowls, which had contained water, were filled with dead flies. One was on the living room floor and one was on a stand.
Bottles of shower gel, deodorant, cleaning products and air fresheners were scattered across the floor.
Miss Bryer said: "Both dogs were in reasonable body condition, but their coats were dirty and stained and they smelt foul.
"Both dogs appeared nervous and, as Manning began shouting and pushing Holly away from the doorway, Holly started to cry loudly.
"Millie was in the corner of the living room. This is where the bedding for the dogs was situated. In the bed Millie sat in was an accumulation of excrement, this was old and had begun to rot.
"The smell was so foul that it made me physically gag."
Both dogs were seized by the RSPCA and taken to Swanbridge Veterinary Hospital in Swanland.
Vet John Levison said: "The living environment observed, is in my professional opinion, wholly unsuitable for these dogs to live in and would have had a detrimental impact on their welfare.
"The person responsible for these dogs has failed to meet their needs for a suitable living environment.
"I expect the extent of faecal material in the dogs' coats and staining observed would have occurred over a period of several weeks to months of living in a dirty environment.
"Both dogs were in need of bathing and coat care maintenance. The accumulation of matter within the coat posed a risk of secondary disease and infection."
Manning had previously refused to co-operate with the RSPCA and environmental health officers.
She declined to be interviewed and did not attend court for her trial.
Manning was convicted in her absence of failing to provide an appropriate living environment and failing to provide an adequate diet for the animals after a trial at Hull Magistrates' Court.
She was given one day's detention after District Judge Frederick Rutherford ruled she was likely to be suffering from a mental health condition and would not co-operate with a community punishment.
She was banned from keeping digs for ten years and was deprived of owning Holly and Millie.
Miss Bryer now hopes the dogs can be rehomed.
She said: "Holly and Millie are lovely dogs but they have had limited socialisation with life outside their home, therefore they are very attached to each other and ideally need to be rehomed together."
They are being cared for at the RSPCA animal centre in York. Anyone who is interested in rehoming the dogs should call the centre on 01904 654949.
