Hull dog owner fined for refusing to put down pet with incurable cancer

Kali Thorneycroft's dog Arize
Arize was severely underweight when she was seen by a vet. Credit: MEN Media

A dog owner who refused to put his pet down when it developed incurable cancer has been prosecuted for animal cruelty.

Kali Thorneycroft, 34, ignored a vet's advice that the kindest course of action would be to put his German shepherd cross Arize to sleep.

Magistrates in Hull heard the dog had several tumours, including a malignant cancer on her neck which had spread to her lungs, and had become severely underweight.

Thorneycroft, of Egton Street, Hull, took the dog to see a PDSA vet on 7 and 8 September 2021. At the second consultation, Arize could not stand.

Thorneycroft was advised to have the dog euthanised and to seek a second opinion if he disagreed.

He was warned if he ignored the problem he would be reported to the RSPCA.

RSPCA inspector Natalie Hill then visited Thorneycroft's home several times to check on the dog’s welfare and on 30 September attended with a council environmental officer.

In her statement, Ms Hill said: "Arize was extremely underweight and during our time in the house she only stood for around three to four minutes. She had sunken eyes and her head was concave, she also had a large amount of mucus coming from her nose."

The defendant told the inspector he believed Arize’s condition was improving.

But the vet said the dog would have been suffering from chronic illness for around two months, adding: "I would have expected a reasonable owner to seek appropriate and prompt veterinary treatment and to follow the advice.

"It was my clinical judgement that Arize's poor condition was causing her to suffer, resulting in a severely diminished quality of life, and that investigation and treatment of disease would not be able to recover her to a condition conducive to an acceptable quality of life."

Thorneycroft said he did not have the funds for a private consultation for a second opinion and was hoping Arize would get better because of the strong bond he had with her.

He was fined £200 and ordered to pay costs of £200.

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