Man who starved dog banned from keeping pets for life

The owner of a dog found seriously underweight has been banned from keeping animals for life and fined £315.

Norman Lowson, 60, of The Nebit, Alva, appeared at Alva Sheriff Court, where he admitted failing to provide an adequate diet for his four-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier, named Kiera.

During an investigation by the Scottish SPCA, inspectors found the dog to be in a “very poor condition”, with visible and prominent ribs, spine and pelvic bones.

She was found to have a body score of 1.5, with one being emaciated and five being obese.

Inspector Louise Seddo said: “The vet said this was due to lack of feeding or an underlying medical condition.

“However, Kiera gained weight in our care on a normal feeding programme, indicating there was no illness causing her condition and it was purely down to Lowson’s failure to provide her with enough food.”

Kiera has since made a full recovery and has been rehomed.