An Ayrshire man has been banned from owning animals after keeping his pet dog and tortoise in squalor.
Ronan Jackson was sentenced at Ayr Sheriff Court on Tuesday 21 April to a Community Payback Order and has been placed under supervision for one year.
He was also handed a disqualification order for owning and keeping animals for five years, after failing to provide his Border Collie Meg and pet tortoise Pebble with a safe and sanitary living environment, exposing his dog to hazardous household waste over a lengthy period of time.
Jackson also failed to provide both animals with a suitable diet and clean drinking water. He was also ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work within a nine-month period.
In April 2025, a call was made to the Scottish SPCA Animal Helpline regarding concern for the welfare of a Border Collie dog at a property in Maybole, South Ayrshire. The caller reported that the dog was being kept in the bathroom, often locked in for a long time, and rarely seen outside of the house – so presumed to be doing the toilet within the home.
The smell emanating from inside was overpowering
Following the call, the Scottish SPCA attended the address. There was no reply at the door and no dog to be seen or heard but it was noted that the garden area of the property was untidy with junk everywhere.
Due to increased concerns for Meg’s living environment, Jackson was also advised he would be required to grant access to the property.
Jackson refused Inspectors access to the property so the Scottish SPCA applied for a warrant – which was granted. The Scottish SPCA attended the house alongside Police Scotland. Entry was subsequently forced to the property. The floor of the hallway could not be seen due to the volume of rubbish and the smell emanating from inside was overpowering. Meg was found sitting within a debris filled bathtub and was quickly removed from the house.
On further inspection of the home, a small tortoise was found in a barren vivarium with no food or enrichment. Both Meg and the tortoise, now known as Pebble, were seized and taken to the nearby Glasgow Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre.
Unhygienic, cluttered with hazards, and did not meet even their most basic needs
A vet concluded that the lack of a suitable environment and diet will have impacted both Meg and Pebble’s ability to exhibit normal behaviour and exposed them to suffering, injury and disease. Both Meg and Pebble recovered well after extensive rehabilitation from the Scottish SPCA and have since been rehomed.
A Scottish SPCA Inspector said: “The conditions in which Meg and Pebble were kept in were wholly unsuitable and posed a clear risk to their welfare. The environment was unhygienic, cluttered with hazards, and did not meet even their most basic needs in terms of care, diet and access to clean water.
“It was particularly concerning that Meg sustained a significant injury while an attempt was made to groom her without appropriate care or expertise which caused her unnecessary suffering.
“Jackson’s lack of cooperation made it more difficult to address these concerns at an early stage, and it was necessary for us to take further action to ensure both animals were protected.
“We are pleased that Meg and Pebble have made a good recovery and are now in safe and caring homes.”
Help 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 Scottish SPCA website.
