A woman from Golborne near Warrington has been banned from keeping animals for five years after leaving her pet dachshund suffering with an untreated broken leg for around two weeks.
Diane Anderson, 33, was also given a 12-month community order after being found guilty of two animal welfare offences relating to the treatment of her dog, Gucci.
The young dog was discovered locked inside a soiled crate at Anderson’s former home in Sycamore Avenue, Golborne, after RSPCA officers received concerns about his welfare.
He was found to be underweight, without adequate food or water, and suffering from a serious injury to his right hind leg. The fracture had been left untreated for so long that the only option was to amputate the leg.
At a sentencing hearing at Tameside Magistrates’ Court on Friday, November 6, Anderson, now of Walmsley Meadow Road, Leigh, was disqualified from keeping animals for five years.
She was also ordered to complete a 12-month community order, pay £845 in costs and a £40 fine.
The court heard that an RSPCA officer first visited Anderson’s former address on October 15, 2025, following reports about the welfare of a young dog living at the property.
Barking could be heard inside but nobody answered the door. The officer subsequently began the charity’s usual abandonment procedure, placing seals and markers across the front and back doors to establish whether anyone was entering the property.
When officers returned the following day, the seals remained intact.
On October 17, an RSPCA officer managed to make contact with Anderson, who explained she had been working night shifts and must have been asleep or at work during previous visits.
She agreed to a welfare visit to check on Gucci, but failed to answer the door when the officer returned for the pre-arranged appointment the following day.
Further seals were placed on the property before a warrant was executed with police on October 20.
RSPCA Inspector Jess Pierce, who led the investigation, described the conditions in which Gucci was discovered.
In written evidence to the court, she said: “I entered the back door after the police and observed a dachshund type dog locked in a crate in the kitchen. There was a smell of ammonia.
“The dog had a bowl which was empty, and there were blankets in there which appeared urine-soaked. The dog appeared to me to be underweight and I could see the outline of the hip bones, ribs and spine.
“I could immediately see that the dog appeared uncomfortable with one of his back legs.”
Gucci was seized by police and immediately taken to a vet by the RSPCA.
He was given a low body condition score and ate ravenously when offered food. Veterinary examination also revealed an abnormal gait in his right hind leg, with the dog shivering and becoming tense when the injured area was examined.
X-rays, carried out with Anderson’s consent, revealed a fractured femur and a partial dislocation of part of the ankle joint.
The veterinary evidence stated that the injuries had been caused by trauma and were estimated to have occurred approximately two weeks before Gucci was examined.
The vet told the court: “He will have been suffering from pain throughout this period.”
Although the precise circumstances in which the injuries occurred could not be established, the vet said Gucci should have received veterinary attention much sooner, regardless of how the injuries happened.
During an interview with the RSPCA, Anderson said Gucci had fallen backwards off a bed while playing in October. She claimed his legs appeared fine afterwards and that he showed no signs of injury.
She also said she confined him to a cage when she was out because he was always jumping around, but denied leaving him overnight.
With Gucci’s condition requiring urgent treatment, Anderson gave permission for his injured leg to be amputated.
The operation was successfully carried out at an RSPCA animal hospital on October 27, after which he was transferred to the charity’s Southport, Ormskirk and District Branch to recuperate in a foster home.
There has been a happy ending for the little dog, who has now been adopted by a new family and renamed Billy.
He has adapted remarkably well to life on three legs and is said to rule the roost in his new home, where he has the company of other dogs.
His new owners have even had special ramps built to help him get on to the sofa.
Happy ending for Gucci
“He was being left for prolonged periods of time in a soiled crate without adequate food and water, and his owner failed in her duty to give him the minimum expected standards of care, which included taking him to a vet when he was visibly in pain.
“Like most dogs, Billy has adapted remarkably well to life with three legs and, thanks to the brilliant team at our Southport rehoming centre, he has found a wonderful home where he is much-loved and thriving.”
Anderson was found guilty in her absence of two offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
The first related to causing unnecessary suffering by failing to seek prompt veterinary attention for Gucci’s broken right femur.
The second concerned failing to meet his basic welfare needs, including access to food and fresh water, a suitable environment, and adequate care and supervision.
