DISTRESSING IMAGES: Dogs found starved to death in Rotherham woman's home

Tara Bridges (32), of Beaconsfield Road, Rotherham, caused unnecessary suffering to her pet dogs Lila (3) and Moxy (5).

An RSPCA officer found the poodle-terrier cross-breeds dead at her home in January.

Bridges failed to attend a hearing at Sheffield Magistrates' Court on Tuesday (7) and she was found guilty in her absence.

She was charged with two offences of causing unnecessary suffering to a dog, failing to meet the needs of the dogs by providing a suitable environment and clean water, and failing to meet the needs of the dogs by providing a suitable living environment.

An RSPCA officer who visited Bridges' home on January 30 found Lila dead on the sofa and Moxy dead on the floor, Mr Andrew Vickers, prosecuting, told the court.

"There was a very strong smell of decay," he said.

Both dogs were severely underweight and the officer could feel their ribs, spine and hips, Mr Vickers said.

"There was a large quantity of dog faeces on the floor.

"There were a couple of empty dog meat tins open on the work surface but the remnants of the meat looked dry."

One of the dogs was partially decomposed, Mr Vickers told the court.

The officer took photographs and the dogs were taken to a veterinary practice.

Bridges told the police during an interview that she had lived alone at the address and was responsible for the dogs.

She said she had them both since they were puppies.

Bridges claimed the dogs were fine just a day before they were found by the RSPCA.

The case was proven in Bridges' absence and a bench warrant was issued for her to attend court.

Speaking outside court, Mr Vickers said: "The dogs clearly suffered prior to their death.

"She (Bridges) tried to explain that the dogs might have eaten some cannabis they found on the carpet."

Mr Vickers said that a post-mortem examination found the dogs died as a result of having no food or water.

Following the case, RSPCA inspector Sandra Dransfield said: "This was a very upsetting case to deal with but you have to go into investigation mode and do what you need to do in situations like this.

 "It was clear from the way that she looked that Lila, who was on the sofa, had been dead for some time longer than Moxy, who was on the floor behind the door, and that was confirmed by the veterinary evidence. 

"It's distressing to think about what those days were like for Moxy - ten to 15 of them according to the veterinary evidence - being in that room with her dead friend before eventually succumbing to starvation herself.

"It's beyond belief that someone could live in a house with an animal and not feed them to the point that they die."