RSPCA: dog owner who didn't believe in vaccines or deworming gets lifetime pet ban after starving pup to death

Warning: this story contains content which may upset some readers.

A woman whose skeletal dog left vets in tears has been banned from owning pets for life, after it starved to death.

Garineh Azarian, of Kingston upon Thames, has been convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to her one-year-old Havanese Coco - who an RSPCA inspector said was "the thinnest dog" she’d ever seen. The 53-year-old had initially pleaded not guilty to the charge, and SWNS reports she did not accept that Coco had suffered - nor did she accept responsibility for his condition.

Wimbledon Magistrates Court heard that Azarian was of previous good character and was a "vulnerable" person. However, she was found guilty of the offence in late September, and was banned indefinitely from keeping animals, as well as being ordered to pay court costs and complete 300 hours of community work.

Azarian took Coco to a vet last October when he became lethargic and started vomiting, but would not let the vets give him antibiotics when they were made aware of his painfully emaciated condition. The vet gave him a body condition score of just one out of nine.

RSPCA inspectors Francesca Tambini and Dale Grant went to the vet practice to try and get Coco seized by police. He died not long after they arrived.

"When we arrived, I thought that the dog looked dead already," Ms Tambini said: “There was a blanket over him, so that his head was visible and it appeared to be on some sort of drip supplement."

She said it was upsetting to see his condition. "When the blanket was pulled back, the ribs on the dog were visibly protruding and he was missing quite a lot of fur... The dog looked like a skeleton. A few minutes after we arrived, the dog passed away.

Staff tried to resuscitate Coco, but they were unsuccessful. Ms Tambini said one vet was "extremely upset and crying".

One of the veterinary staff members that treated Coco said the dog “could not have had appropriate veterinary care in the past" given his extreme condition. “Despite the investigation and intensive treatment that Coco had with us, I believe that he was suffering prior to arrival and it was far too late to be able to save him.”

When RSPCA inspectors interviewed Azarian she told them she followed a raw and plant-based diet for the dog. She claimed she had been feeding him a normal 3% of his presumed body weight of three kilos since March 2022.

Azarian believed Coco's scratching had been due to overeating and acid in his diet, and that the hair and weight loss was a normal response to detoxing. She also stated she did not believe in vaccinations, antibiotics or worming.

Vet experts later said the dog's post mortem examination showed chronic malnutrition led to Coco's death. "There was also evidence of a high lungworm burden, which is a preventable disease with the use of routine worming treatments," they added.

“In my opinion, the dog’s needs were not being met as per the Defra code - the owner failed to recognise signs of malnutrition, weight loss, poor condition, and seek veterinary advice within a reasonable time frame," the continued, "which allowed their condition to deteriorate, and ultimately caused suffering and death".

RSPCA dog welfare expert, Sam Gaines, said: “Dogs need to eat a diet suitable for their age, lifestyle and health status and should be fed at least once a day, unless advised otherwise by a vet.

"We'd recommend feeding a complete dog food to ensure it meets your dog's nutritional needs. Further information on dog nutrition is available on the UK Pet Food website," she said. "If you are unsure what the best diet for your pet is it’s a good idea to speak to your vet for advice.”