A man has been banned from owning animals for life after leaving his puppy “severely dehydrated and malnourished”.

Kane Davis from Allhallows, on the Hoo Peninsula, appeared at Medway Magistrates’ Court on February 25 where he pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to his husky Nymera.

The court heard how the “very ill” dog had been taken to a vet in Chatham on May 3 last year. The RSPCA was contacted on the same day.

The 19-month-old had been left in an emaciated condition for weeks and was extremely thin, with sores on her feet and legs.

The vet who first examined her said she was “skin and bones”, dehydrated, and covered in urine.

She was transferred to another veterinary clinic where she was treated with fluids in the hopes of saving her life.

The vet who treated the husky said: “She was almost comatose on arrival and very unresponsive.

“She had a very poor body condition score of one out of five, was severely dehydrated and malnourished as well as anaemic.”

The vet concluded that to reach the state of emaciation Nymera was in it would have take between two to three months.

They added: “From the extensive muscle wastage she was unable to stand and support her weight which meant she had to lay in her own excrement.

“There must have been days to weeks of laying in her own urine to result in such severe urine burning.”

Nymera ended up having to be put to sleep.

“This poor puppy was left to starve to the point where she became so weak that she was lying in her own urine...”

The court was told that Davis was remorseful for what he had done.

The 25-year-old has now been banned from owning animals for life after failing to address Nymera’s loss of weight under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

He received an 18-week jail term which was suspended for 12 months and will also have to complete 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 200 hours of unpaid work.

After the sentencing, RSPCA deputy chief inspector Deborah Rutherford said: “This poor puppy was left to starve to the point where she became so weak that she was lying in her own urine.

“Had her owner provided her with a proper diet and sought vet treatment much, much sooner she may have survived.

“Pets are completely reliant on their owners to ensure their needs are met and they are kept safe and healthy.

“Owning an animal is a privilege – and ensuring appropriate veterinary care when they need it is a key part of the responsibility we have towards them”.