A MAN whose dog had to have its leg amputated because he failed to take it to the vet's has been banned from keeping animals for 10 years.

Paul Rowley, 25, of Frances Street, Church, admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a male border collie which he had kept at his former home in School Street, Great Harwood.

Hyndburn magistrates heard that the collie's leg was broken in two places after it was kicked by the owner of a boxer dog during a fight.

Chris Wyatt, prosecuting for the RSCPA, said that weeks after the injury was sustained, Rowley had failed to get his dog examined by a vet and a worried neighbour alerted the RSCPA.

An RSCPA inspector found the dog was lame and was only half its normal weight.

"There was clearly something wrong with the dog. It was thin, it was lame and it was suffering a considerable amount of distress." said Mr Wyatt.

The dog was taken to a vet in Blackburn who tried to mend its leg. But its thigh bone had been broken into three pieces and a callus had formed, so the leg had to be amputated.

The animal was kept in kennels for about a year because Rowley could not be contacted to come to court. The kennel fees and the prosecution cost the RSPCA more than £2,000. The dog has since been given a new home.

Robin Phoenix, defending, said the injury had occurred when Rowley was walking the dog. It got into a fight with a boxer dog whose owner kicked Rowley's dog.

Mr Phoenix said there was no suggestion that Rowley had been deliberately cruel to the animal. Rowley had assumed the vet's bill would be high and was waiting to be paid before going to the vet.

He said he had taken the dog to a vet's in Clayton-le-Moors but the surgery had been closed for the weekend.

Rowley, who is unemployed and on hardship allowance, was told by magistrates that he had been foolish and cruel. He was given a conditional discharge for 18 months and was banned from keeping animals for 10 years.

Magistrates ordered him to pay £300 towards the RSCPA's costs.

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