A woman has been jailed because she allowed her dog to become so obese he could hardly move or breathe.
The dog, named Nuggi, was found at the New Zealand home of an Auckland woman in October 2021 after a search warrant was carried out by police, the NZ Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) said.
The dog had to stop three times to catch his breath during the 10metre walk from the home to the car.
They also said his ‘legs appeared to be collapsing under the weight of his huge body’.
An SPCA veterinarian provided evidence to Manukau District Court that Nuggi weighed 53.7kg and was ‘so obese that it wasn’t possible to hear his heart with a stethoscope’ as the sound could not penetrate the fat.
The vet added that because of the extra weight Nuggi was carrying, he would have suffered severe long-term discomfort and distress.
Vets also found Nuggi’s nails were also found to be overgrown, the animal was covered in skin tags and was also suffering from conjunctivitis.
‘Nuggi was easily one of the most obese animals we’ve ever encountered,’ SPCA chief executive Todd Westwood said.
Nuggi, was found severely overweight at the New Zealand home of an Auckland woman in October 2021
‘He was so enormous that he could hardly walk, and he was clearly suffering as a result of the significant amount of weight he was carrying.’
Mr Westwood also said his condition was a ‘huge shock’ to SPCA inspectors and staff, who were used to dealing with animals at the ‘opposite end of the weight scale’.
‘Sadly, we see animals on a daily basis that are underweight, starved or malnourished, but it’s equally heartbreaking to see a helpless animal that’s been severely overfed,’ he said.
The Auckland woman has been jailed for two months for failing to meet her dog’s physical, health, and behavioural needs and also fined $1104 (stock image pictured)
Nuggi lost 8.9kg while under SPCA care but died suddenly two months after being rescued due to health complications.
The owner pleaded guilty in Manukau District Court last week to failing to meet the dog’s physical, health, and behavioural needs, and was ordered to pay reparations of $1104 and disqualified from owning dogs for 12 months.
‘Part of being a responsible dog owner is providing your pet with an appropriate diet and daily exercise, which was clearly not the case here,’ Mr Westwood said.
‘Nuggi was being drastically overfed, and instead of seeking help or amending the behaviour, his owner continued to overfeed him until he could barely walk. This is unacceptable.’
