A COUPLE who neglected 19 dogs and left them to fight over scraps of food while living with them in a pest-infested two-bedroom council flat have been banned for life from keeping animals.

The order was made by Blackburn magistrates after they heard how Beatrice and James Bowman had neglected the animals in their care in Burnley Close, Whitebirk, Blackburn.

And solicitor Bob Pickles, defending, said that thankfully, the situation had been brought to an end by the RSPCA.

"Quite frankly, these people are not capable of looking after themselves, never mind 19 dogs," said Mr Pickles.

When the 15 adult dogs and four puppies were seized by the RSPCA, on the day the Bowmans were being evicted, they were all under weight and in poor general condition and several had cuts on their heads. And the court was told the cuts were the result of the dogs fighting over scraps of food.

James Bowman, 40, and his wife Beatrice, 54, of Carlisle, each pleaded guilty to 14 charges of omitting to act thereby causing suffering to an animal. They were each given a conditional discharge for two years, prohibited from keeping any animal for life and ordered to pay £200 each towards the prosecution costs.

The court was told that the total cost of the prosecution, which dates back to March 1998 and has needed 13 court listings, was between £7,500 and £8,000. But RSPCA Inspector Stephen Greenhalgh said: "Our main aim in bringing this prosecution was to try and get these people disqualified from owning or keeping any animal in the future and we are delighted with the outcome.

"It has cost a considerable amount of money to achieve our aim but we believe that is money well spent."

Chris Wyatt, prosecuting, said all the dogs had been seized and after treatment and regular feeding all had recovered except one which was put down because it was too vicious.

He said the Bowmans' flat was in a dilapidated condition, infested with pests and the atmosphere was pungent.

"It was not suitable for keeping a large number of animals if, indeed, it was suitable for people to live in," said Mr Wyatt. "All the dogs have now been re-homed."

Bob Pickles described his clients as "desperately inadequate".

He said: "To care for 19 dogs in a two bedroom flat is impossible and it is not surprising that the dogs have suffered.

"Mrs Bowman has two children by a previous marriage who she has not seen for 19 years and she said she looked on these dogs as her children," he added.

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