Fly was starved so badly that she resembled a skeleton [MERCURY/CAVENDISH]Cruel David Lowe starved 15-year-old Fly so badly that vets were forced to put her down because of how appalling her condition had become.
One vet said that Fly was the most "severely emaciated dog" they had ever seen in 30 years of practice.
Bolton Magistrates Court heard how the pitiful creature was ranked at zero on a scale of one to five – with one being emaciated.
Tony Stock, prosecuting, told the court how the RSPCA first found Fly last October and officers were "immediately shocked" at her terrible condition.
Vet Angus McKenzie said Fly was 12 to 15 per cent dehydrated, a level which, if exceeded, a dog is unlikely to survive.
She had severe dental disease, overgrown nails and a urine sample suggested she was diabetic and her condition had deteriorated to what Dr MacKenzie described as "a skeleton".
Although Fly was immediately taken away from Lowe, she was so sick that vets had no option but to put her down.
Mr Stock said: "These conditions were all treatable and manageable.
"The dog could have lived a longer and healthier life if advice had been sought earlier.
"Because it did not happen it reached a stage where euthanasia was the only option."
The 15-year-old lurcher suffered from several health problems [MERCURY]This is a new example of courts being lenient in animal cruelty cases
Chairman of the bench Derek Tate said the case's main aggravating feature was that Fly had to be put down.
He did, however, acknowledge that Lowe had mental health issues – the only mitigating circumstance that the bench took into account.
Peter Leather, defending, told the court that Lowe had spent five weeks on a psychiatric ward in hospital.
He explained that Fly was returned to Lowe only on October 11 by his ex-partner and he had previously not seen the dog since July.
He apparently knew that the dog needed to see a vet but that he could not bring himself to take her as he thought she would be put down, the court heard.
Mr Leather added that a friend of Lowe's mother was the first person alert the RSPCA because his family "realised he was not going to be able to do what was necessary".
Lowe, formerly from Bolton, Greater Mancester, was convicted in his absence of five counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal on February 24.
Yesterday, he was given a 12-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and given a lifetime ban from owning or keeping an animal, which he will not be able to appeal against for 25 years.
Police and protestors outside Bolton Magistrates Court [CAVENDISH]Lowe, currently of no fixed abode, was also ordered to pay £1,080 costs over the next two years, and given an 18-month supervision order.
Passing sentence, Mr Tate said: "In view of everything that has been said it would be appropriate to suspend the sentence.
"It is clear that a rehabilitative element would be more appropriate in your case."
Protestors wearing t-shirts with Fly's picture on them listened as the sentence was passed, having waited outside for much of the day holding placards.
Lowe was later seen running away from campaigners as he left the court.
Speaking outside court after the hearing, protester Lorraine Edwards, owner of Loz's Lurcher Rescue, said: "We are disappointed that he did not get a custodial sentence.
"This is a new example of courts being lenient in animal cruelty cases.
"We will be starting a petition to show the world that we are not happy."
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