Animal Cruelty
After reading this report in The Daily Record I wondered to myself how this woman could be left in charge of four young children being handed a lifetime ban on owning or looking after animals.
Now having been handed a well-deserved prison sentence Jodi Russell will be out her children's lives for some time, but it's difficult to see how someone can be a fit mother if they have chosen to inflict such cruelty on two poor dogs.
So I hope the authorities are taking steps to remove these young children to a place of safety because their future is bleak with someone like Jodi Russell for a mother.
Callous mum starved her two Staffies in cage.. while gorging on takeaways in front of them
By Martin Fricker, Ian Murphy
WARNING: Graphic Content. Jodi Russell, 28, has been jailed for what RSPCA officials described as one of the worst cases of animal cruelty they have ever dealt with
Jailed: Jodi Russell from Dudley, West Midlands, has been jailed for five months after she failed to care for her two starving two dogs - which led to one of them dying
A mum-of-four has been jailed for starving her two pet dogs in what RSPCA officials described as one of the worst cases of animal cruelty they have ever dealt with.
Jodi Russell, 28, from Halesowen, West Mids, callously starved the Staffordshire Bull Terriers inside a cage while gorging on takeaways in front of them.
Horrified RSPCA inspectors found the 'lifeless' dogs inside the urine-soaked cages in the living room of her home while children played around them.
Disturbing photographs of the emaciated animals show their ribs and other bones protruding through their coats.
One of the dogs, called Storm, was described as the thinnest a vet had ever seen and he tragically died within 24 hours of being rescued.
The other starving dog - a female which was given the lowest possible condition rating by vets - miraculously survived and was later re-homed.
A mum-of-four has been jailed for starving her two pet dogs in what RSPCA officials described as one of the worst cases of animal cruelty they have ever dealt with.
Jodi Russell, 28, from Halesowen, West Mids, callously starved the Staffordshire Bull Terriers inside a cage while gorging on takeaways in front of them.
Horrified RSPCA inspectors found the 'lifeless' dogs inside the urine-soaked cages in the living room of her home while children played around them.
Disturbing photographs of the emaciated animals show their ribs and other bones protruding through their coats.
One of the dogs, called Storm, was described as the thinnest a vet had ever seen and he tragically died within 24 hours of being rescued.
The other starving dog - a female which was given the lowest possible condition rating by vets - miraculously survived and was later re-homed.
SWNS
Heartless: The dogs were starving and in urine-soaked cages in the living room of Jodi Russell's home while children played around them
Russell, from Halesowen, West Mids, was convicted in August 2013 of causing unnecessary suffering to the animals and failing in her duty as owner.
The single mum, who boasted on social media of being a fan of Channel 4 series Shameless, failed to turn up to court for her trial and a warrant was issued for her arrest.
She was eventually tracked down last month and hauled to court - where she was given a five month jail term.
Magistrates in Dudley, West Mids, also handed her a lifetime ban from looking after animals or being associated with them in any way
During her trial, magistrates were told RSPCA officials went to Russell’s home in October 2012 following a tip-off that the dogs were being mistreated.
When questioned by inspectors, she claimed one of the animals was dead - and said they could not come into her home because she hadn’t broken the news to her children.
Nick Sutton, prosecuting, said: “The inspector pressed and was invited in. Inside the property he saw the dogs in the living room in cages with the children running around them.
“She pointed out the dark male dog and said he was dead. The inspector noticed it was still alive and barely breathing.
“It was like a skeleton. The other dog was in a similar curled-up way and was lifeless.”
Russell, from Halesowen, West Mids, was convicted in August 2013 of causing unnecessary suffering to the animals and failing in her duty as owner.
The single mum, who boasted on social media of being a fan of Channel 4 series Shameless, failed to turn up to court for her trial and a warrant was issued for her arrest.
She was eventually tracked down last month and hauled to court - where she was given a five month jail term.
Magistrates in Dudley, West Mids, also handed her a lifetime ban from looking after animals or being associated with them in any way
During her trial, magistrates were told RSPCA officials went to Russell’s home in October 2012 following a tip-off that the dogs were being mistreated.
When questioned by inspectors, she claimed one of the animals was dead - and said they could not come into her home because she hadn’t broken the news to her children.
Nick Sutton, prosecuting, said: “The inspector pressed and was invited in. Inside the property he saw the dogs in the living room in cages with the children running around them.
“She pointed out the dark male dog and said he was dead. The inspector noticed it was still alive and barely breathing.
“It was like a skeleton. The other dog was in a similar curled-up way and was lifeless.”
SWNS
Dead: One of the dogs was so emaciated that one of he died within 24 hours of being rescued by the RSPCA
When interviewed, Russell claimed she had taken one dog to the PDSA - but without benefit paper work she was unable to get it looked at.
Daryll Foster, defending, said she was suffering emotionally at the time of the offences following the death of her father and after splitting up with her partner.
He said: “Miss Russell, in hindsight, now accepts what she has done wrong and realises she should have made steps much earlier.”
But magistrate Neville Jinks described the animal cruelty case as “one of the worst the court had seen”.
He added: “I understand you were suffering from emotional difficulties at the time, but this is no excuse for letting the two dogs suffer the way they did.”
After the hearing, RSPCA spokesman Andy Robbins said the two dogs’ suffering had been “shocking”.
He added: “We deal with truly horrific cases of neglect, but it is always upsetting to see animals in such poor condition as these.
“Anyone can see simply from looking at the sorry images presented as part of the case that this was a matter where a shocking level of cruelty had taken place.
When interviewed, Russell claimed she had taken one dog to the PDSA - but without benefit paper work she was unable to get it looked at.
Daryll Foster, defending, said she was suffering emotionally at the time of the offences following the death of her father and after splitting up with her partner.
He said: “Miss Russell, in hindsight, now accepts what she has done wrong and realises she should have made steps much earlier.”
But magistrate Neville Jinks described the animal cruelty case as “one of the worst the court had seen”.
He added: “I understand you were suffering from emotional difficulties at the time, but this is no excuse for letting the two dogs suffer the way they did.”
After the hearing, RSPCA spokesman Andy Robbins said the two dogs’ suffering had been “shocking”.
He added: “We deal with truly horrific cases of neglect, but it is always upsetting to see animals in such poor condition as these.
“Anyone can see simply from looking at the sorry images presented as part of the case that this was a matter where a shocking level of cruelty had taken place.
Ban: Jodi Russell has been banned for life from looking after animals or being associated with them in any way
“We hope that the court’s decision means no other animal will suffer at the hands of the defendant in this case.”
Disgusted neighbours said today that Jodi had never worked and spent her days eating junk food.
One man said: “I think it’s disgusting. She should have got 20 years for what she did, never mind five. If it was up to me she would have been horse-whipped.
“She was always eating junk food and that type of stuff.”
Another woman added: “I always thought she was a jovial woman and okay to speak to. But this has really shocked me when I saw the photos of those poor dogs.
“To just leave a dog in a cage to not eat is disgusting. I definitely won’t speak to her again when she’s out of prison.
“She’s quite a big girl. They are always having takeaways delivered and there’s junk food rubbish in their garden.
“It’s ironic that she’s a big one and stuffs herself but couldn’t even feed the poor dogs. There’s always takeaway food going in the house.”
“We hope that the court’s decision means no other animal will suffer at the hands of the defendant in this case.”
Disgusted neighbours said today that Jodi had never worked and spent her days eating junk food.
One man said: “I think it’s disgusting. She should have got 20 years for what she did, never mind five. If it was up to me she would have been horse-whipped.
“She was always eating junk food and that type of stuff.”
Another woman added: “I always thought she was a jovial woman and okay to speak to. But this has really shocked me when I saw the photos of those poor dogs.
“To just leave a dog in a cage to not eat is disgusting. I definitely won’t speak to her again when she’s out of prison.
“She’s quite a big girl. They are always having takeaways delivered and there’s junk food rubbish in their garden.
“It’s ironic that she’s a big one and stuffs herself but couldn’t even feed the poor dogs. There’s always takeaway food going in the house.”
