A starving dog abandoned for four days chewed his way through a DOOR and WALL so he could bark in desperation to the outside world.
Cruel Sean Lawton left the three-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier and lurcher crossalone for 96 hours without any supervision.
Battling pooch Sam was so hungry he munched through the solid room divider to reach a window ledge so he could bark at passers-by to save him.
The 28-year-old left the animal without food or water who was surrounded by mouldy faeces when RSPCA inspectors visiting the home in Birkenhead, Merseyside.
Officers said the address last October reeked so strongly that it stung their eyes.
Lawton was banned from owning a pet for ten years today at Wirral Magistrates Court and handed a 12-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.
Sam, weighing 15.3kg, was taken to a vet, who gave him a body score of just two – one being emaciated and five being obese.
Chris Murphy, prosecuting, said: "Faeces covered the stairs and landing. The toilet door was closed so the dog couldn’t get any water out of the toilet bowl.”
"Mr Lawton had made an unsuccessful attempt to sell the dog on Facebook a month earlier.
“He said his child’s mother had left him and he was left with the dog.
“He said he had left some food and water. He said it was a hungry dog. He accepted it was not acceptable to leave the dog and he knew it was wrong.”
Lawton, who was not represented by a solicitor, told the court: “I just did something stupid”.
Magistrates also ordered him to complete 160 hours of unpaid work and pay £1,000 in costs.
