A man has been banned from keeping animals for two years after he failed to provide treatment for his dog's chronic skin condition.

Martin Edwards, 47 of Falcon Close, Oxford has been sentenced for causing unnecessary suffering to his Labrador-Staffie cross called Terror. 

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Between February 20 and March 20 of this year Edwards neglected his dog as he failed to respond to the RSPCA's warnings about its allergic dermatitis.

Oxford Mail:

RSPCA inspector Andy Eddy investigated Edwards at his home after receiving a report of a neglected dog.

When Mr Eddy arrived at the property he noticed the dog Terror was chewing on his back leg and there were bald patches in his fur.

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Mr Eddy advised Edwards to take his dog to the vet and gave him a voucher to go towards the costs, however he failed to take Terror to the vet.

Oxford Mail:

On numerous occasions Edwards failed to give his dog the treatment it needed and on March 20, Mr Eddy returned to the property and took Terror to the vet himself.

Later that day an order was issued by Thames Valley Police to seize the dog.

Terror was found to be in an unwell state, and the vet who later examined him said his body looked sore with lesions on his legs and an abdomen that looked infected. The vet also found mites in his skin.

Oxford Mail:

However, after being cared for by the RSPCA at a boarding kennel, Terror was taken to the vet on April 19 and he was found to be responding well to treatment. Terror has now made a full recovery with the help of the RSPCA.

Read again: Oxford man Martin Edwards caused unnecessary suffering to dog 

Edwards was interviewed by Mr Eddy after Terror was taken to the vets in March. In the interview Edwards revealed how upset with himself he was for letting it get to the point where Terror was taken from him.

He said: “My whole world collapsed around me.”

Oxford Mail:

Edwards also revealed he had recently lost his mother and had been made redundant from BMW just before Christmas and as a result was struggling financially.

Edwards is now banned from keeping animals for two years and was also given an 18-month community order.

He was also asked to pay £40 costs and £85 victim surcharge when he appeared before magistrates in Oxford on Monday, November 18.