Owner who left dog to starve to death locked up

Jordan Blenkinship, 23, took out his own problems on his Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Ziggy, which he finally abandoned without food.

The dog was reduced to desperately trying to rid itself of its hunger pangs by eating bits of plastic and fabric when it was shut away in the kitchen.

Sending Blenkinship to jail, chairman of the bench Mark Cowburn told him: “Without doubt this is one of the most horrendous case of its kind we have had to listen to.

“You inflicted severe, prolonged abuse and neglect.”

It was a week before Blenkinship realised the white terrier had died, magistrates at Blackpool were told.

Paul Ridehalgh, prosecuting for the RSPCA, revealed it was the second time one of Blenkinship’s dogs had died in a similar manner.

Another terrier, Patch, was taken to a vet but was so emaciated the animal had to be put down.

The prosecutor said that Ziggy’s body was only found when an agent for the landlord of a house in Louise Street, Blackpool, had gone into the property after it was believed Blenkinship had quit the home.

They found dog food in one room but it had not been used to feed Ziggy. They then found the dog in the kitchen and called in the police and RSPCA.

When questioned about Ziggy’s emaciated condition – it was 10 kilos beneath its proper weight – Blenkinship referred to the terrier as his best friend who would cuddle up to him on the sofa.

He told offices that he believed the dog had gone off its food after his partner had walked out on him.

“He liked her a lot,” said Blenkinship.

“He went off his food and by the time I thought about taking him to a vet it was too late.”

The court heard how a post mortem revealed the plastic and fabric in its stomach.

Mr Ridehalgh added: “The PM revealed the animal died of starvation and had been dead a week when found.

“Mr Blenkinship was not even living there at the time.”

Brett Chappell, defending, said: “As a dog owner I was appalled by what has happened and the horrific pictures of the animal.

“My client has to live with the fact that he killed this animal. When his partner of six years left him, he became introverted and a recluse. He did not eat himself and he did not feed the dog.”

Blenkinship admitted causing the dog suffering by failing to treat the cause of its weight loss.

Blenkinship, of Livingstone Road, Blackpool, was sent to prison for 20 weeks and banned from having anything to do with animals for 10 years.