Failed Breeder's Neglect Leads to Tragic Deaths
A Wolverhampton man has been sentenced after five dogs were found dead at his property in a case described by a judge as "terrible". Joshua Johnson, a 28-year-old mechanic from Spring Road, Ettingshall, admitted two charges of causing unnecessary suffering to protected animals.
Horrific Discovery by RSPCA Inspectors
The RSPCA attended Johnson's home on June 7, 2023, initially finding four severely emaciated dogs living in squalid conditions. One Cane Corso dog, named Panther, was described as a 'walking skeleton'. As inspectors searched further, they made a more disturbing discovery: five dead dogs in various locations around the property.
Prosecutor Janita Patel told Birmingham Crown Court that three of the deceased animals were severely decomposed. The dead dogs were found in a shed, garage, rear garden, and one was wrapped in tarpaulin. A post-mortem examination concluded the likely cause of death was sepsis due to starvation.
Suspended Sentence and Lifetime Ban
Despite the severity of the neglect, Johnson was spared an immediate prison sentence at his hearing on Monday, November 17. Instead, he received a two-year sentence, suspended for 21 months, and was banned from keeping animals indefinitely.
Judge Roderick Henderson told Johnson: "You were responsible for awful suffering for these defenceless animals." He acknowledged the defendant's life was "utterly out of control with drugs and alcohol" rather than showing deliberate sadism.
The court heard Johnson had turned to breeding dogs commercially, but when this failed, he neglected them completely. The four surviving dogs were assessed with a body score of one out of nine, indicating severe malnutrition, and had suffered for at least two to three weeks.
Johnson was ordered to complete 35 days of rehabilitation activity, a 12-month alcohol treatment requirement, and an intensive drug rehabilitation requirement. He must also pay £400 in costs.
