A TALYBONT woman has avoided being banned from keeping pets after admitting two charges of neglecting a family dog in a case a vet described as the worst they had ever seen.

Emma Marie Stevens, 29, who works in Aberystwyth Post Office, admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a boxer type dog called Bella by failing to address the cause of her poor bodily condition and weight loss, and by confining her in a conservatory during hot weather without water.

John Tarrant, prosecuting, said that on 1 June this year, RSPCA inspectors were called to 63 Maes-y-Deri, Talybont, where they found Bella in the conservatory without any windows or doors open, where she appeared “responsive but lethargic”.

Mr Tarrant said that when Bella was taken into the care of the RSPCA, she was checked over by a vet, who said Bella was “very emaciated” and “very keen for food and water”.

“Bella was very emaciated and in an extremely poor bodily condition,” Mr Tarrant told the court, reading from a statement provided by the vet who examined Bella.

“She had significant muscle wastage with the resultant weakness giving her a gait when walking. Bella was very keen for food and water.

“In my opinion, the dog had been suffering in an emaciated condition for several weeks, if not months. During my career, I have never seen a dog emaciated to this extent.”

See this week’s Aberystwyth edition for the full story, in shops and online now