A woman in New Zealand has been sentenced to two months in prison by Manukau District Court after her severely obese dog died from overfeeding. The woman, who was found guilty of failing to meet her dog’s medical and physical needs, was also fined USD 720 and barred from owning dogs for a year.
According to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), Nuggi was severely obese when animal control officers found him. In 2021, police discovered Nuggi at the woman’s Auckland home, where they also found several other dogs. Nuggi was so overweight that he was nearly immobile.
‘Most obese animals’
Nuggi was initially found to weigh about 54 kilograms and was unable to move properly. “Nuggi was easily one of the most obese animals we’ve ever encountered. He was so enormous that he could hardly walk and he was clearly suffering as a result of the significant amount of weight he was carrying,” said Todd Westwood, Chief of the SPCA.
“Sadly, we see animals on a daily basis that are underweight, starved or malnourished, but it’s equally heartbreaking to see a helpless animal that’s been severely overfed,” he added. Despite efforts to help Nuggi, including a significant weight loss of 8.8 kilograms during his two months under SPCA care, the dog suffered a liver hemorrhage and died.
‘Drastically overfed’
An autopsy revealed additional health problems, including Cushing’s disease and liver issues. Westwood described the situation as heartbreaking. The SPCA’s statement revealed that Nuggi was fed around ten pieces of chicken daily along with dry food.
“Part of being a responsible dog owner is providing your pet with an appropriate diet and daily exercise, which was clearly not the case here. Nuggi was being drastically overfed, and instead of seeking help or amending the behaviour, his owner continued to overfeed him until he could barely walk. This is unacceptable,” Westwood said.
Veterinarians reported that Nuggi’s heartbeat was difficult to detect due to his extreme weight, and he had multiple skin growths and enlarged claws. “Part of being a responsible dog owner is providing your pet with an appropriate diet and daily exercise, which was clearly not the case here,” Westwood added. “This is unacceptable.”
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