William McIlroy’s dog Odin suffered from severe matting to his coat and a dry eye problem, which led to urine scalding, restricted vision and mobility and painful dermatitis around his anus.
A Glasgow man has been banned from owning or keeping animals for five years after causing his dog unnecessary pain and distress by neglecting to seek veterinary attention for his matted coat. William McIlroy’s dog Odin suffered from such severe matting to his coat that he had impaired mobility, restricted vision from a dry eye problem and painful dermatitis around his anus.
McIlroy was also fined £670.
In February 2025, a complaint was made to the Scottish SPCA Animal Helpline regarding dog neglect. The caller was concerned that the dog was not being fed regularly and that he was only seen every so often in the garden area, with his coat so badly matted that they were unable to determine his overall body condition. The caller also noted a strong smell emanating from the property.
Scottish SPCA Inspector Cannon visited the address and was met by owner William McIlroy. Whilst Inspector Cannon was speaking with McIlroy at the front door, his dog Odin came to investigate. Inspector Cannon immediately observed the extreme matting of Odin’s coat and advised McIlroy of his concern.
McIlroy explained that he had been unable to groom the dog because he was allegedly vicious. Inspector seized Odin from the property and immediately took him to a vet practice. The vet concluded that Odin had suffered unnecessarily over an approximate period of two to three years. They noted that Odin’s eyes appeared infected and the area around his anus had at least seven separate faecal deposits due to the matting.
It took four people 45 minutes to remove all of the matted fur
Due to him being in pain and a huge amount of discomfort, Odin was kept in and his coat was clipped. The vet confirmed that it took four people 45 minutes to remove all of the matted fur – which weighed 1.7kg. Upon further examination after the removal of his coat, the vet noted that Odin had conjunctivitis in both eyes, a build-up of waxy material in both his ears, overgrown nails, urine scalding and mild dental disease.
Odin was later transferred to the Scottish SPCA’s Glasgow Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre, where veterinary treatment was continued. However, despite these efforts, his condition did not improve. Following veterinary advice, the difficult decision was made to humanely euthanise him to prevent further suffering.
Inspector Cannon said: “This was a case of gross neglect and Odin was clearly in a lot of pain and discomfort. The decision was made to humanely euthanise him due to the severity of his dry eye condition and so as to prevent any further suffering.
“McIlroy showed no remorse for his dog’s condition. We are glad that we have got justice for him.”
Ensure Scotland is at the forefront of animal welfare
The Scottish SPCA’s call for a National Animal Offenders Register is one of the four main asks of its recently published manifesto. Delivering on these will help ensure Scotland is at the forefront of animal welfare and is crucial to prevent future harm and tackle repeat offending. In turn, this is essential to help achieve our mission to make Scotland the best place for an animal to call home. Read our full Manifesto and sign our petition to show your support.
To report a concern of cruelty, visit the our website.
