Man guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to dog

Michael Mountstephens, 49, denied causing unnecessary suffering to Luna, a greyhound crossbreed, but was found guilty following a trial at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on July 7 last year.

RSPCA Cymru inspector Julie Fadden visited a property on Glyndwr Road in Ely, Cardiff, on November 4, 2021, and was told by a man there were no whippets or lurchers with leg injuries at the property, but another man said there was a dog in a cage in the back garden with an old leg injury.

Luna has now made a full recovery and has been rehomed into a loving family. (Image: RSPCA Cymru)

Inspector Fadden said: “The dog was grey with white markings and had an exposed metal plate showing, attached to the bone on her right foreleg.

“The dog was holding her right front foreleg up and I could smell the distinctive smell of infection coming from it, even from a distance.

“The dog was lean and I could see her ribs and spine. The kennel was dark and dirty with some faeces within and there was no comfortable resting area.”

The men said Luna had been seen by a vet “recently” – although could not confirm which vet. One of the men said her injury happened two months ago and she belonged to Michael Mountstephens.

Luna was in discomfort when she was rescued but has now made a full recovery.

Luna was taken to a vet and was then seized by the police, who passed her into the care of the RSPCA.

In December 2021, a family member told inspectors that Mountstephens was Luna’s owner, and that he had taken her to a vet when she had first hurt her leg but the wound had kept opening up.

No veterinary practices in the Cardiff area had records that indicated they had ever performed surgery on Luna. 

Mounstephens was found guilty of one charge of causing unnecessary suffering at the hearing last July, but it could not be proved Luna had been his responsibility for more than the two months that he had admitted. 

At Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on December 23, Mounstephens was given an 18-week prison sentence, suspended for two years, was banned from keeping any animals for 12 months and ordered to pay costs of £500. The bench said they were suspending the custodial sentence because of his caring responsibilities.

RSPCA inspector Christine McNeil fostered Luna during her rehabilitation. (Image: RSPCA Cymru)

RSPCA inspector Christine McNeil, who fostered Luna during her rehabilitation, said: “It was lovely to be able to care for Luna and help her recover from what was a really dreadful ordeal.

“We started off with short walks to build up the strength in her leg, and her loving, friendly and sociable nature shone through. She liked nothing more than snoozing on my sofa and trying out all my soft furnishings, and I’m so pleased that she’s doing well in her new home.”

Luna made a full recovery in the care of the RSPCA and has now been successfully rehomed.