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A couple who neglected three dogs, one of which died from starvation, have been banned from keeping animals for seven years.

Jake Craven and Megan Findlay both admitted two offences under animal welfare laws and were sentenced at Scarborough Magistrates' Court.

A vet who examined the dead dog, called Rex, said it "would have suffered unnecessarily as a result of inadequate nutrition".

Two surviving Staffordshire bull terriers, named Coco and Tinker, are now being rehomed after being nursed back to health by the RSPCA, the charity said.

The RSPCA initially visited the couple in March 2023 along with a housing officer as keeping dogs was in breach of their tenancy agreement.

When the housing officer returned to the flat a fortnight later she was unable to gain entry.

In June, RSPCA inspector Tom Hutton found the couple, who later separated, living on wasteland near the Grand Hotel.

Findlay told the inspector they were homeless and Rex had died, so she had wrapped him in a blanket and put him inside their tent.

In a statement to the court, Mr Hutton said the two surviving dogs were extremely thin and needed treatment in an animal hospital.

A vet who examined the dogs said they believed the animals had been suffering for about a month.

The court was told that Findlay, 25, of Victoria Park Avenue, Scarborough, suffered from psychological issues, including ADHD and anxiety and depression.

Her ownership of the dogs had been “inadequate rather than wicked”, the court heard.

For Craven, 28, of Linnaeus Street, Hull, it was said he was now in a new relationship and he had “secondary responsibility” for the care of the dogs.

Both Craven and Findlay were handed 18-month community orders and ordered to complete rehabilitation days.

Craven was also issued with a curfew.

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