Dog likely to go blind as owner avoids jail despite pet looking like '˜something out of a horror movie'

Trudy Oakley received a £250 fine and avoided jail, despite already having a suspended sentence for an unrelated matter, after leaving her Staffordshire bull terrier Pooch with the condition for five years.

Pooch was seized by the police from Oakley’s property in Redmile Walk, Peterborough, then placed into the RSPCA’s care, before being rushed to a vet who removed his right eye.

He has a congenital condition which caused his right eye to erupt and has also affected his left eye.

The 10-year-old is being cared for by RSPCA staff and is still undergoing treatment, but it is likely he will also lose his remaining eye.

Inspector Justin Stubbs from the RSPCA found Pooch after a call from a member of the public on January 27. He said: “Pooch was in a terrible state and his eye looked horrendous. It was like something out of a horror movie - his eyeball looked ready to pop out of his skull.

“Ms Oakley received veterinary advice in December 2010 to have Pooch’s eye removed but this was ignored and she failed to seek any further professional advice.

“That means poor Pooch was left suffering from what must have been an extremely painful and uncomfortable eye condition for more than five years. It’s just shocking.”

Oakley (46) was sentenced at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Monday, May 9 having admitted one offence of causing unnecessary suffering to Pooch by failing to provide adequate veterinary care for a problem with his eyes.

She was sentenced to a two-year conditional discharge for one offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The court also added six months onto her existing suspended sentence and ordered her to pay prosecution costs of £250.

She was disqualified from keeping all animals for one year and the court ordered for Pooch to be removed from her ownership.

Photos of Pooch before his eye was removed are so graphic that the Peterborough Telegraph has chosen not to publish them.