Ciaran Connelly, from Glasgow, came before Selkirk court on 15th of January and was handed a ban on keeping or owning dogs for a year, after severely neglecting his two-year-old American bulldog, Boss, ultimately leading to his death.
Connelly was also given a community payback order of 150 hours of unpaid work.
Connelly inadequately fed Boss for at least a month, most likely for more than two months, resulting in him being in a severe state of emaciation that caused him significant unnecessary suffering.
A Scottish SPCA inspector attended Connelly’s residence after a vet raised concerns for Boss’ welfare to the charity’s helpline on 16th January 2025.
Extremely concerned by his condition
The vet said: “The bones of his body were clearly visible including his ribs, spine, and his pelvic bones. Given the age and breed of Boss, I would have expected him to be really well muscled and was extremely concerned by his condition.”
The vet examination showed Connelly had been inadequately feeding Boss for a long period of time, leaving him so weak he could barely stand.
A Scottish SPCA Inspector said: “As soon as I saw Boss, I knew he had been severely neglected. He had no visible body fat or muscles. He looked skeletal and would collapse whenever placed on the floor. He was unable to walk.
“This case still haunts me to this day. It is the worst case of emaciation that I have seen in my 10 years working for the Scottish SPCA, and three years as a Scottish SPCA Inspector.”
After veterinary examination, Boss was taken to the Scottish SPCA’s Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre for further care and treatment.
However, Boss’s deterioration was so severe he was humanely euthanised on welfare grounds.
A Scottish SPCA vet said: “As a vet, there is not a clinical disease process and treatment pathway where I, or a responsible owner, would find it reasonable or acceptable to allow a dog to deteriorate in this way”.
Slowly starved to death
A post-mortem examination showed Boss’s deterioration was due to severe malnutrition. It revealed he had ingested hazardous material including a rubber plastic band, a piece of broken glass and a dirty cloth in a desperate attempt to fill his stomach.
The Scottish SPCA Inspector said: “By the time the accused, Connelly, did seek veterinary attention for his dog, it was too late to rectify the several weeks or months of starvation this dog was subjected to.
“Boss was essentially slowly starved to death, an experience which would have caused him significant physical and mental suffering. Any reasonable owner would have noticed the obviously emaciated body condition of the dog and sought immediate veterinary attention. Therefore, the I believe he is unsuitable to own and take responsibility for any animal in the future.”
Very disappointed at the sentencing of this case
The Scottish SPCA Inspector added: “We are very disappointed at the sentencing of this case. We would’ve welcomed a more severe punishment for this heartless criminal. We are lobbying for the creation of a National Animal Offenders Register as part of our manifesto to ensure those who are unfit to take care of animals are monitored and are never able to put an animal in danger again.
“However, if brutal cases like Boss’ receive such a weak sentencing, it makes a register far less useful. If sentencing given was in line with the severity of a case, a register would help ensure there wasn’t repeat offending, and no animal would be at risk of suffering again in the hands of criminals like Connelly.”
Please read our full manifesto for further information.
To report any act of cruelty, visit our Contact Us page.
