Auckland woman imprisoned for two months after failing to care for dog so obese it could not move

A woman has been sentenced to two months in prison because he was so obese he could barely move or breathe.

He died two months after he was rescued.

The dog, named Nuggi, was found at the home of an Auckland woman in October 2021 after a search warrant was carried out by police, the NZ Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) said.

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Animal control officers said the dog had to stop three times to catch his breath in the 10m walk from the home to the car.

They also said his “legs appeared to be collapsing under the weight of his huge body”.

A number of other dogs were also removed from the home and taken to an Auckland Council animal shelter.

An SPCA veterinarian said Nuggi weighed 53.7kg and was “so obese that it wasn’t possible to hear his heart with a stethoscope” as the sound could not penetrate the fat.

His nails were also found to be overgrown, he was covered in skin tags and was also suffering from conjunctivitis.

“Nuggi was easily one of the most obese animals we’ve ever encountered,” SPCA chief executive Todd Westwood said.

“He was so enormous that he could hardly walk, and he was clearly suffering as a result of the significant amount of weight he was carrying.”

Westwood also said his condition was a “huge shock” to SPCA inspectors and staff, who were used to dealing with animals at the “opposite end of the weight scale”.

“Sadly, we see animals on a daily basis that are underweight, starved or malnourished, but it’s equally heartbreaking to see a helpless animal that’s been severely overfed,” he said.

The owner told SPCA that she fed Nuggi eight to 10 pieces of chicken a day, as well as dog biscuits and walked him for exercise, however, the veterinarian said the dog struggled to move and breathe, and that because of the extra weight he was carrying, he would have suffered severe long-term discomfort and distress.

The woman pleaded guilty to failing to meet the dog’s physical, health, and behavioural needs, and was ordered to pay reparations of $NZ1222.15 ($A1104.21) and disqualified from owning dogs for 12 months.

“Part of being a responsible dog owner is providing your pet with an appropriate diet and daily exercise, which was clearly not the case here,” Westwood said.

“Nuggi was being drastically overfed, and instead of seeking help or amending the behaviour, his owner continued to overfeed him until he could barely walk. This is unacceptable,” Westwood said.

Nuggi lost 8.9kg while under SPCA care, however, died suddenly due to health complications two months after being rescued.