Dog recovering after RSPCA rescue from Carmarthenshire home

Ruby was among the dozens of dogs – and a cat – found at the address of Beverly Gilson, 64, and John Howard, 72, in Abernant in October 2022.

Many of the dogs were kept in cages at the address. Some of the cages were stacked on top of each other, while other dogs were roaming the house. One dog was kept in a small rodent cage and was continually spinning in the cage, and some of the dogs had water provided by rabbit bottles attached to the cages.

Dozens of dogs were found with matted fur and coats covered in faeces. (Image: RSPCA Cymru)

RSPCA Keith Hogben said that the smell of urine and faeces in one bedroom where some of the animals were kept as “one of the worst” he had smelt in his near-24 years with the RSPCA.

Ruby’s fur was so matted and encrusted with faeces that RSPCA inspectors couldn’t tell what breed she was, or if she was a male or female.

She was taken to Maes Glas Vets and had to be sedated for her fur to be cut off. It was uncrusted with faeces – and after it was removed it weighed around a kilogram. She was also covered in fleas. 

However, Ruby woke up in the loving arms of Jayne Johns, a practice support manager at Maes Glas Vets, who decided there and then to foster her.

“Her feet were bound so tight, they were worried her feet would come off with it. She was also so matted they had to use a scalpel rather than clippers,” Ms Johns said.

“They took everything off, gave her a flea bath, dried her, and put her in a jumper to keep her warm. By the time she woke up from the sedation she was in my arms.”

Ruby woke up in Jayne's arms (left) after having around one kilogram of fur cut off from her (right). (Image: RSPCA Cymru)

That evening, Ms Johns kept a close eye on Ruby after taking her home.

“I put her in a crate as I thought she may feel safer in this as I knew she had been kept in a cage,” she said. “I couldn’t sleep that night and I would watch her on the monitor. She didn’t sleep that night either. I could see her just looking around. She didn’t make a noise at all.”

Ruby had issues with her back legs initially – thought to be from living in a cage for long periods – but after some recovery time, and some TLC from Jayne, they have now become stronger.

Ruby is recovering well in Jayne's care. (Image: RSPCA Cymru)

Ms Johns said that when she first met Ruby, she just knew she wanted her to be a permanent member of the family.

“I knew she had been signed over to the RSPCA, so I knew straight away that I wanted to adopt her officially,” she said. 

“She just looked into my soul and I just knew. I just love her so much. I feel so emotional about the whole situation having seen the state of her and the situation of the others – and seeing how she is now.

Jayne Johns has given Ruby a new lease on life. (Image: RSPCA Cymru)

“She is a little bit broken. She is still really weary. I just think we keep her clean, fed, watered, loved and she plays – and I just don’t understand how people can do that with animals.”

Gilson, 64, and Howard, 72, pleaded guilty to four offences under the Animal Welfare Act and were handed a 15-week sentence, suspended for nine months. They were also ordered to carry out 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 50 hours of unpaid work, and were disqualified from keeping all animals for five years, as well as being ordered to pay £400 each.