An Auckland woman has been sentenced to two months in prison after pleading guilty to failing to provide adequate care for a severely obese dog whose condition left him struggling to walk and breathe.
The woman appeared before the Manukau District Court after authorities found the dog, Nuggi, in an extremely poor physical condition at her property in Manurewa.
Nuggi was among several dogs removed from the property in October 2021 after Police executed a search warrant. The animals were initially taken to an Auckland Council animal shelter before Nuggi was transferred to the SPCA’s Māngere Centre for veterinary assessment.
Animal control officers said Nuggi was barely able to move. During the approximately 10-metre journey from the property to the vehicle, the dog reportedly had to stop three times to catch his breath. Officers also observed that his legs appeared unable to adequately support his enormous body.
A veterinary examination later found that Nuggi weighed 53.7 kilograms and was severely obese. His condition was so extreme that veterinarians were unable to hear his heartbeat with a stethoscope because the sound could not penetrate the thick layer of fat.
The examination also revealed several other problems. Nuggi had excessively long nails, numerous skin tags around areas of friction such as his abdomen and elbows, and conjunctivitis. He was also experiencing significant difficulty moving and breathing.
According to the veterinarian, Nuggi was unable to tolerate warm temperatures and became easily fatigued. His excessive weight was assessed as having caused prolonged physical discomfort and distress.
The SPCA said the case was particularly disturbing because Nuggi’s obesity was the result of prolonged overfeeding rather than a lack of food.
SPCA Chief Executive Todd Westwood said Nuggi was among the most severely obese animals the organisation had encountered.
Westwood said responsible pet ownership required owners to provide animals with an appropriate diet, regular exercise and proper medical attention. He said Nuggi’s condition demonstrated a serious failure to meet those basic responsibilities.
During discussions with SPCA inspectors, the defendant reportedly acknowledged feeding Nuggi between eight and 10 pieces of chicken every day, in addition to dog biscuits. She also said she exercised him by taking him for walks and allowing him to spend time outside on the property.
However, authorities concluded that the level of feeding and care provided was inadequate and resulted in Nuggi becoming so overweight that his ability to move normally was severely compromised.
Nuggi subsequently spent about two months under SPCA care and lost 8.9 kilograms, equivalent to approximately 16.5 percent of his body weight.
Despite the improvement in his weight, Nuggi later died unexpectedly from an acute haemorrhage caused by a ruptured mass on his liver.
A subsequent necropsy identified additional underlying health problems, including liver disease and Cushing’s disease.
The court ordered the woman to pay $1,222.15 in reparations and prohibited her from owning dogs for 12 months, in addition to the two-month prison sentence.
The SPCA said the case highlighted that animal neglect can take different forms and that severe overfeeding can cause serious suffering just as starvation and malnutrition can.
