Five dead dogs were discovered and four severely emaciated animals were rescued from a property in Wolverhampton belonging to failed breeder Joshua Johnson, in a case described as particularly distressing by the RSPCA.
A Scene of Utter Despair
When RSPCA inspectors arrived at Joshua Johnson's home on June 7, 2023, they were met with a scene of horror. Floors were covered in faeces, the surroundings were bleak, and there was no food or water in sight for the animals.
The 28-year-old initially tried to deceive officials by posing as 'a friend', but soon admitted he was the occupant. He claimed there were no more dogs inside the property, but this was a lie.
The 'Walking Skeleton' and Hidden Corpses
Officers, now accompanied by police, found two more starving dogs inside. One of them, a Cane Corso named 'Panther', was described as a 'walking skeleton'.
As inspectors dug deeper, they made a grisly discovery: five dead dogs in various locations including a garage, a shed, and a shipping container. Three of the bodies were so severely decomposed that post-mortem examinations could only be carried out on two. The examinations concluded the animals likely died from sepsis brought on by starvation.
Court Sentencing and Judge's Remarks
At Birmingham Crown Court, Johnson received a two-year suspended sentence, suspended for 21 months. He was banned from keeping animals indefinitely and ordered to pay £400 in costs.
Judge Roderick Henderson stated: "This was plainly not deliberate hostility or sadism, but someone whose life was utterly out of control with drugs and alcohol." The judge concluded that the suspended sentence and ban would achieve the aim of protecting animals from Johnson in the future.
Prosecutor Janita Patel highlighted the commercial context of Johnson's actions, stating he sourced animals for breeding and chose to let them starve when his venture failed.
