AN OXFORD man has been banned from keeping dogs after leaving a Staffordshire bull terrier to starve.

Looney the Staffie died after being left weighing half her ideal weight.

Scott Dan Preston, 42, of Ladenham Road, Oxford has now been banned from owning a dog for five years.

He pleaded guilty to an animal welfare offence, following a prosecution by the RSPCA.

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The dog had only given birth to puppies just weeks earlier, and was in a collapsed state, weighing 10kg, when she was presented to vets.

Her bones were visible, with her muscle disappeared so that even her skull was prominent.

Despite treatment to stabilise her through intravenous fluid, after a few hours she started to fit and went into cardiac arrest and sadly died in the veterinary surgery.

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Inspector Andy Eddy, who investigated for the RSPCA, said: “She weighed just 10kg and an average dog of her breed would weigh a minimum of 20kg so she was at least half of her correct body weight.

“Veterinary tests found no other problems that could have caused her condition and that correct feeding by the owner would have prevented this.

“The owner would have had plenty of opportunity to seek veterinary help sooner, sadly it was far too late for her to seek help when they did.”

Preston was also ordered to pay £250 costs, a £85 victim surcharge, and to complete seven RAR Days (rehabilitation activity requirement) within the next six months when he was sentenced at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on October 9.