Disgraced former vet Gary Samuel and his assistant Rochelle McEwan during a court appearance on despicable animal cruelty charges.
Gary James Cassius Samuel and partner Rochelle McEwan were convicted of animal cruelty after officers discovered 22 dogs and eight cats in the back room, living quarters and basement of Armley Vets, on Town Street, in Armley, Leeds.
In February 2015 police were called to the property after a 999 call reported that Samuel was threatening McEwan with a hammer.
When they arrived they found husky type dogs living in dirty, overcrowded cages, which were kept below a trap door that was covered by a carpet and a table.
The animals also had very little water and police officers who searched the building said there was a strong smell of urine and faeces.
Officers also found three cats in the back room. They were described as ‘skin and bone’ and one of them had to be euthanised.
The police called the RSPCA and some animals were removed from the house that night.
Three further dogs had to be put down on veterinary advice.
Samuel claimed that McEwan collected the dogs and he wasn’t happy about them being kept in the cellar, but they weren’t his responsibility. This wasn’t accepted by the court, however, and he was convicted of all charges.
RSPCA inspector Nikki Cheetham said: “I’ve seen a lot of shocking things working for the RSPCA but I would certainly never have expected to deal with something like this.
“People who work in the veterinary profession are the first port of call if an animal needs help. It is unthinkable to consider what was going on in this surgery as clients were coming and going, paying their vet fees.
Ms Cheetham said most of the dogs were Husky-types, with the exception of two Chinese crested dogs. Adult dogs were in the basement while puppies were found shut in one of the rooms, with most of the cats in another.
She said 21 animals – 15 dogs and six cats – have already been re-homed from RSPCA centres and branches in County Durham, York, Liverpool, Chester, Leeds and Harrogate.
In July 2018 Samuel was struck off after the disciplinary committee of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons ruled that he was unfit to practise as a veterinary surgeon.
Samuel – 12-week suspended prison sentence; 150 hours of unpaid work; total of £700 fine and costs. Banned from keeping animals for life. Barred from practising as a veterinary surgeon.
McEwan – 12 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months; 150 hours of unpaid work; £250 costs. Disqualified from keeping animals for life.
Cook inflicted a number of stab wounds on Ronnie after taking him to local Spider Park. The court heard Cook “lost the plot” after Ronnie supposedly “went for” his newborn baby daughter and then bit him.
Janita Patel, prosecuting for the RSPCA, said the dog was found by a member of the public in the park shortly before 8pm on August 23, 2015.
Ms Patel said Cook had been seen walking out of the park with “blood on his hands” and all over his shins and socks.
The court heard Ronnie, who was still breathing despite suffering severe blood loss, was taken to a vets in Northampton for treatment.
They heard Ronnie had a collar around his neck with a phone number and contact was eventually made with Cook’s father-in-law who attended the vets. The father-in-law was told the cost of treating Ronnie’s wounds was likely to be £2,500 to £3,000 and he made the decision, on his son-in-law’s behalf, to have the dog put down.
Ronnie suffered 10 wounds to his body, including a fractured skull, fractured leg and multiple stab wounds.
In December 2015 Cook pleaded guilty to animal cruelty and in January 2016 was sent to jail to serve a pathetic 12-week sentence.
Sentence: sentenced to 12 weeks in jail and disqualified from keeping animals for life.
As at August 2018 Steven Cook is running a rubbish clearance business in Daventry called Move It Clear It.
#TheList Peter Cawley of Colban Crescent, Lurgan BT66 8HY and ex-wife Nina Reaney, born 04/06/1983, most recently of Holly Hill, Dollingstown BT66 7UB – convicted of animal cruelty following the discovery of three emaciated dogs.
Convicted dog abusers Peter Cawley and his ex-wife Nina Reaney of Craigavon received a pitiful five-year ban, which expires in January 2021.
The pair pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering and failing to meet the needs of three dogs in their joint care.
Charges were brought against them by Armagh Banbridge and Craigavon District Council under Sections 4 and 9 of the Welfare of Animals Act (NI) 2011.
Mother-of-seven Nina Reaney (formerly Nina Cawley) separated from Peter Cawley and now has a new man in her life. Wonder if he knows she’s a convicted animal abuser.
Animal Welfare Officers, who visited the couple’s former property on the Calverstown Road, Bleary, in October 2014, came across three emaciated dogs with no access to food, water or bedding. The dogs were kept in a pen with significant accumulations of dog faeces.
This little shih-tzu, who was blind and missing all but three of his teeth, had to be put to sleep to end his suffering.
The veterinary surgeon who attended the scene noted a Shih Tzu type dog, who was blind and all but three of his teeth were missing. He had to be euthanised because of his extremely poor condition.
The second crossbred type dog had a growth on her back leg. She was extremely thin with dirty skin. Both she and a third boxer type dog were removed from the property and have since been successfully rehomed.
Cawley: three-month custodial sentence suspended for two years Reaney: two-month custodial sentence suspended for one year. Costs of £3,727 each. Both were banned from owning any animal for a period of five years (expires January 2021).