A woman was jailed because she allowed her dog to become so obese that it could barely move or breathe.
The dog, named Nuggi, was found in an Auckland woman’s home in New Zealand in October 2021 after police executed a search warrant, the New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) said.
The dog had to stop three times to catch his breath during the 10-meter walk from the house to the car.
They also said that his “legs seemed to collapse under the weight of his enormous body.”
An SPCA vet gave evidence to the Manukau District Court that Nuggi weighed 53.7kg and was “so obese it was not possible to hear his heart with a stethoscope” as sound could not penetrate the fat.
The vet added that due to the extra weight Nuggi was carrying, he would have suffered severe discomfort and distress in the long term.
Vets also discovered that Nuggi’s nails were overgrown, the animal was covered in skin tags and was also suffering from conjunctivitis.
“Nuggi was easily one of the most obese animals we’ve ever encountered,” said SPCA Executive Director Todd Westwood.
Nuggi was found severely overweight in an Auckland woman’s home in New Zealand in October 2021
“He was so huge that he could barely walk and was clearly suffering from the significant weight he was carrying.”
Mr Westwood also said his condition came as a “huge shock” to SPCA inspectors and staff, who were used to dealing with animals at the “opposite end of the weight scale”.
“Sadly, we see underweight, starving or malnourished animals on a daily basis, but it is equally heartbreaking to see a helpless animal that has been severely overfed,” she said.
The Auckland woman has been jailed for two months for failing to meet the physical, health and behavioural needs of her dog and also fined $1104 (file image pictured)
Nuggi lost 8.9kg while in the care of the SPCA, but died suddenly two months after being rescued due to health complications.
Last week, the owner pleaded guilty in the Manukau District Court to failing to meet the dog’s physical, health and behavioural needs, and was ordered to pay reparations of $1104 and disqualified from keeping dogs for 12 months.
“Part of being a responsible dog owner is providing your pet with a proper diet and daily exercise, which was clearly not the case here,” Westwood said.
‘Nuggi was being drastically overfed and instead of seeking help or correcting his behaviour, his owner continued to overfeed him until he could barely walk. This is unacceptable.’