A HAMPSHIRE woman was banned from keeping animals for 10 years and ordered to pay more than £900 after admitting cruelty to a puppy.

Kim Barker, 32, left the six-month-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier to suffer for weeks without veterinary treatment for severe mange.

By the time the animal was rescued by the RSPCA, it had extreme alopecia - hair loss, sores all over its body and was 3kg underweight.

Barker, of Tatwin Crescent, Thornhill, Southampton, pleaded guilty at Eastleigh Magistrates Court yesterday(WED, JUL 25) to causing unnecessary suffering to the dog, named Jasmin, between April 9 and 23.

The court heard how she and her ex-partner adopted Jasmin from a rescue centre in Shirley in November last year.

The couple, who were living in Firgrove Road, Freemantle, split up a month later and she was left to look after the dog.

Bradley Albuery, prosecuting for the RSPCA, said Barker's partner David Pullen visited the house in February and found Jasmine had 'very little fur, her skin was very dry, flaky and scabbed and she smelt of urine'.

Mr Pullen said he took Jasmine to the vet, who prescribed antibiotics and made an appointment for her to return the following week for further vital treatment.

But Barker failed to take Jasmin back to the vet's and on April 23 she arranged for Carl Croxford to take in the dog.

Mr Croxford said in a statement that when he went to pick up Jasmin, 'the first thing that hit me was the smell of the place, it was absolutely foul - it smelt of urine and faeces'.

He added: "Just as the dog jumped up I grabbed hold of her and felt rough, scabby skin. It felt greasy. She was starving, you could see her ribs."

Mr Croxford notified the RSPCA, and during an interview with an inspector Barker said she only agreed to adopt the pet to save her relationship with Mr Pullen.

Barker, a sales administrator, claimed she fed Jasmin twice daily and left plenty of food for her while she was at work all day.

Jamie Gammon, defending, said: "The dog was purchased for all the wrong reasons. She would never have taken on that responsibility had it not been a joint thing between her and her partner."

Barker was given a conditional discharge for three years, ordered to pay £511 boarding fees for Jasmine, and £400 costs.

RSPCA inspector Christine Coleman said: "We're pleased with the sentence because we always look for disqualification to stop people treating animals in such ways again.

"Jasmine has made a good recovery and now we will be able to find a good home for her."