A MOTHER has been spared jail after admitting causing unnecessary suffering to her pet dog which had to be put to sleep because of its “extremely poor and neglected state."

Annie Davidson

A MOTHER has been spared jail after admitting causing unnecessary suffering to her pet dog which had to be put to sleep because of its “extremely poor and neglected state.”

Nicola Bayford, of Witham, had caused the suffering to collie dog, Julie, due to “ignorance rather than malice”, Chelmsford magistrates decided today.

The 37-year-old was given a 12-month community order, with 100 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay �50 towards prosecution costs. She was banned from keeping animals for five years.

The court was told Julie was infested with fleas, had severe dental disease and the parasitic skin disease mange and two tumours.

A vet found her to be in an “extremely poor and neglected state” and she was later put to sleep.

Magistrates were told Bayford, of Bryony Close, had loved the dog - which had been her family pet for 16 years - shown remorse for its suffering and been abused in the street since the case was first heard in court.