A BARGOED man has been handed an eight-month suspended prison sentence after admitting to poisoning two cats belonging to his neighbours.

The case has been labelled a “landmark” for the RSPCA.

Tristian Paul Pearson, 44, of West Street in Bargoed, pleaded guilty to an Animal Welfare Act offence - admitting to causing two cats living nearby to take a substance which is highly poisonous to felines, which led to them to suffer, contrary to the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

The cats - which both died as a result of the poisoning - named Luna and Bailey, were given ethylene glycol by Mr Pearson.

The poisonings took place in early September 2021.

Vet statements supplied to the court confirmed the kidney tubules of both cats were consistent with ethylene glycol poisoning.

The cats belonged to a father and daughter who lived in two separate properties near Pearson's West Street home.

Three young children - aged eight, five and 18 months - lived at the same property as one of the cats.

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Bailey's owner reported that his cat became unwell on September 3, and appeared weak and wobbly. An appointment was made for the male Persian cat to see the vets, but he died before the vets could see him.

A few days later, on September 7, Luna, a female domestic short hair, returned home - to a property backing onto the house where Bailey lived - appearing very wobbly on her back legs.

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Her symptoms escalated, and vets found her to also have a high heart rate while her muscles were twitching.

Vet tests confirmed Luna had kidney failure and she was put to sleep on humane grounds.

Following the deaths of the two pets, the cats' owners looked in the rear garden of their neighbour's property - and spotted two pots.

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One contained a bright blue liquid, and the other contained a food mix, including meat. These were retrieved, and passed to the RSPCA.

Some of the meat-type substance found in one of the pots was also found in the garden of Luna's owner.

Tests later confirmed substances found in the pots contained a high concentration of ethylene glycol, one of which appeared to have been mixed with tuna fish.

An expert veterinary witness report concluded that it is "highly likely that this was the source of ethylene glycol that caused the death" of Luna and Bailey.

The vet statement added that the "effects of ethylene glycol poisoning cause a cat to suffer via the mechanism of dehydration with subsequent headaches, nausea, disorientation, weakness and collapse".

Pearson was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court on August 5.

In addition to an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, he was ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work, and disqualified from keeping all animals for a period of five years; a ban which he may not contest for at least four years.

He was also ordered to pay £2,000 in costs.  

Speaking after the hearing, RSPCA inspector Simon Evans, who investigated, said: "These poor cats were deliberately tempted into digesting a substance that is incredibly dangerous for cats and ultimately proved fatal to them both. 

"One cat died before he could even be taken to the vets, while another had to be put to sleep to prevent suffering. Vets found clear evidence of the harm the ethylene glycol had done.

"We hope this shocking, landmark case sends a clear message to anyone thinking of targeting cats in this way - this is wrong, illegal and will not be tolerated." 

RSPCA Cymru continues to remind cat owners of the symptoms of poisoning - and to know what to do if they fear their cat has been targeted.