Shocking photos show suffering of dog abandoned by Bromley teen

Cross breed Blade, thought to be younger than one years old, was left tethered to a coat hoat Nicholas Kengere's stairwell without food or water for a week.

The 19-year-old has now been banned from keeping pets for 10 years.

The teen left his black Labrador crossbreed named Blade tethered to a coat hook in his hallway while he was in hospital, prosecutor Andrew Wiles said. 

Blade pictured in the stairwell where he was tied to a coat hook (Image: RSPCA)

Neighbours on Capstone Road reported that the dog had been abandoned prompting RSPCA officers to attend the property on January 24. 

One of Kengere’s friends let the officers inside where they found a dog that was very thin, with bones visible, standing in his own faeces. 

“The dog had been kept tethered in the stairwell with no bedding, no clean resting area and no access to toileting facilities,” Mr Wiles said. 

A vet who assessed Blade rated his body condition as two on a scale of one to nine. They said the dog was 50 per cent underweight and had no palpable body fat. 

The vet’s opinion was that Blade had likely been undernourished for two to three weeks or longer, Mr Wiles said.   

Blade also had red lumps in his eyes, known as cherry eye, which required surgical intervention. 

Blade was visibly malnourished when he was found (Image: RSPCA)

RSPCA officers placed seals on Kengere’s door to see when he returned home but these were unbroke on January 26. 

Officers made contact with Kengere on February 8 and he was interviewed. 

“He said he had been in hospital for a week before the RSPCA attended and that he tethered the dog to stop it from going into the bins in the kitchen. He admitted the dog was probably suffering and that it was his fault,” Mr Wiles said.   

Kengere had been an unplanned stay in hospital as he was suffering with a chronic B12 deficiency but he acknowledged that despite the circumstances he should have done more for the dog. 

At a sentencing hearing at Bromley Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (June 26) Kengere was given a suspended prison sentence for causing unnecessary suffering to blade. 

Kengere was also banned from keeping pets for a decade and he cannot apply for the disqualification to be lifted until at least 2030. Blade was also confiscated from him. 

Kengere pictured leaving Bromley Magistrates' Court (Image: Newsquest)

Speaking after sentencing, RSPCA Inspector Hariet Daliday said: “If you are struggling with medical issues and have to leave your pet for an extended period of time, please ensure they have appropriate care to attend to their welfare needs.

“It’s unfair on the pet and can lead to prosecution if their needs are not met. We’re grateful we managed to rescue Blade before his condition deteriorated even further.”