A WOMAN was banned from keeping animals for life after leaving her two dogs home alone for a month.

Katrina Amanda Fairbairn, 35, who was living at Hendy Court, George Street, Pontnewynydd, at the time of the offences, did not contact the RSPCA to find out what happened to the pets after they were seized by the charity and she was eventually traced to her boyfriend’s address.

Prosecutor Aled Watkins told Cwmbran Magistrates’ Court that RSPCA inspector Rebecca Rees attended the flat on the afternoon of June 9, 2011, and a neighbour, who had a key to the property, brought out bull mastiff Leyla.

He said: “The dog was in extremely poor condition and in an emaciated state with every rib visible and her pelvic bones being prominent. There was a stench of urine coming from the flat.”

The second dog, a crossbreed, Bruno, was found to be very underweight, at 8.4kgs when he should have been between 11kgs and 12kgs.

But Leyla weighed around half of what she should have been – 30.2kgs compared to a healthy weight of 50 or 60kgs.

The court heard the dogs’ sleeping area was soaking in urine and faeces, with flies buzzing around.

Fairbairn pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to Leyla between May 9 and June 9, 2011, and failing to meet the needs of both dogs, contrary to the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

The court heard Fairbairn said in interview a neighbour had responsibility for the dogs while she had gone to Plymouth and they were in an appropriate condition when she left.

“She’s very ashamed by her actions and takes full responsibility for causing suffering to these two dogs,” her defence counsel Mike Heames said.

But chairman of the bench, Rev David Boutflower, banned her for life from keeping animals.

He said: “We consider what you have done to have been so serious it’s not appropriate for you to be someone who looks after animals.”

She was also ordered to pay £530 to cover vet bills and prosecution costs.