A mother of two has been permanently banned from owning animals after abandoning six chihuahuas, leading to their starvation and death. Victoria Fowles, 41, left the dogs without adequate care when she moved out of her former residence in Lowestoft, Suffolk.
An estate manager inspecting the property discovered it in a state of disarray, noting "atrocious condition with dog mess throughout the ground floor and an awful smell." The manager alerted the RSPCA after finding three of the dogs in a basket in the rear dining room. RSPCA inspector Ben Kirby later attended and discovered the bodies of three more dogs in a bag in a garden shed.
Fowles pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, admitting she failed to provide proper care and supervision for the dogs between February 10, 2025, and April 4 of the following year. At Great Yarmouth magistrates' court, she was sentenced to a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. She was also ordered to complete 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and a 12-month mental health treatment requirement.
Additionally, Fowles was disqualified from keeping any animals for life, or until further order, and was ordered to pay £300 in costs and a £187 victim surcharge.
In her defense, the court heard that Fowles had struggled with alcohol addiction, and her life had deteriorated. She accepted full responsibility for her actions.
An expert veterinary examination of the dogs' remains, including photographic evidence from the scene, indicated that the animals were found in various stages of decomposition. All were estimated to have a body condition score of one out of nine, suggesting severe emaciation. The vet concluded that a lack of food and water significantly contributed to their suffering and death, with starvation and dehydration being key factors. Psychological distress, lack of human companionship, and overgrown nails were also noted as indicators of suffering.
The period of suffering was estimated to be at least several weeks, coinciding with the time the dogs were abandoned. The expert stated that the suffering could have been avoided if alternative arrangements for the dogs' care had been made.
RSPCA inspector Ben Kirby commented after the case, "It is heartbreaking to think that these poor dogs were just abandoned and left to suffer what would have been a harrowing death and that their deaths were completely unnecessary and avoidable."
