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Woman charged with cruelty after death of abandoned dog

Shocked animal welfare officers discovered a black Labrador dead at Aleshia McLaverty's former flat in Antrim's Greystone estate
Shocked animal welfare officers discovered a black Labrador dead at Aleshia McLaverty's former flat in Antrim's Greystone estate Shocked animal welfare officers discovered a black Labrador dead at Aleshia McLaverty's former flat in Antrim's Greystone estate

A CO Antrim mother accused of abandoning a black Labrador in a flat where it was found dead "hanging from blinds" after drinking toilet water in a desperate bid to survive has been charged with cruelty.

Shocked animal welfare officers discovered the animal at Aleshia McLaverty's former flat in Antrim's Greystone estate on April 29 2014.

Defence barrister Aaron Thompson told the town's magistrates court his client, believed to be in her early 20s, had previously pleaded guilty to charges of permitting unnecessary pain or distress to a dog under her control and being the keeper of a dog without a valid licence.

However, he said she later told a probation officer she was not guilty and upon hearing that a judge at an earlier sitting refused to accept the guilty plea and vacated it.

Yesterday, the case was adjourned until August, with a probation report should be brought back to court then.

Ms McLaverty, who was not present at court on Tuesday, no longer lives at Firmount Drive where the dog was found.

Sickening pictures of the starved and dehydrated dead Labrador/Collie cross-breed were shown to Deputy District Judge Chris Holmes at an earlier court in Coleraine, who said they were "the worst photos I have ever seen of cruelty to an animal".

A post-mortem revealed the dog died of dehydration and starvation. A report prepared for councillors in Antrim said a neighbour noticed the dog - "hanging from blinds" in a house believed unoccupied for a considerable time.

A council animal welfare officer sent to the flat entered with the help of police where they found the home covered in dog faeces and the dead pet hanging from blinds in an emaciated state having reportedly drunk all of the toilet water in the house and left bite marks on food packs and dishes.