Khaberni - A British court has banned a man from owning animals for seven years after he was found guilty of causing the death of a snake by starvation, and for keeping several dogs in conditions described by police as "horrific" and inhumane.
The defendant, Jake Riley, aged 35, pleaded guilty to seven charges related to animal mistreatment during his appearance before the Magistrates' Court in Sheffield.
According to bbc, the conviction stemmed from an incident discovered by police in a house in Rotherham during February, where they found a dead "Royal Python" inside a glass box, left without food until it died.
They also found inside the house six dogs living in unfit conditions, two of which were kept in dirty cages without drinking water, while the general conditions of the place lacked the minimum care and cleanliness.
The police added that the veterinary examinations conducted later revealed severe deterioration in the health of some of the animals, which necessitated the decision to euthanize three of the dogs for medical reasons, due to them suffering from serious health issues.
The three other dogs were rescued and transferred to specialized care centers, where they were rehomed with new families.
During the sentencing hearing held on December 15, the court decided to punish Riley, residing in Radcliffe on Trent in Nottinghamshire, with 26 weeks of imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, in addition to a community service requirement.
The court emphasized that the decision to ban the owning of animals was to protect the animals and prevent such abuses from recurring, stressing that animal abuse is a serious crime that warrants legal accountability.
