Exeter man banned from keeping animals for life after dogs found starving in filthy home

A man from Exeter has been banned from keeping animals for life after four French bulldogs were found abandoned in appalling conditions, two of them dead and two severely malnourished.

Nicolas Bailey Parker, aged 34, of Cromwell Road, Banbury, was sentenced at Exeter Crown Court on 13 October after pleading guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to animals, following an investigation by the RSPCA.

RSPCA inspectors discovered the dogs inside a property on Omaha Drive, Exeter, in June last year. Police had already removed two live dogs and one dead dog from the home before returning with inspectors amid concerns more animals were inside.

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When RSPCA Inspector Jim Farr entered the property, he found the decomposing body of another dog among piles of rubbish and mould-covered walls. He described the house as “filthy and chaotic,” with faeces found in most rooms and extensive mould growth.

Post-mortem examinations revealed that the deceased dogs, named Luther and Piper, had died from severe emaciation. 

The two surviving dogs, Peach and Finger, have since made full recoveries in RSPCA care and been rehomed.

Parker was sentenced to seven months in custody, suspended for 15 months, alongside 100 hours of unpaid work and up to 30 rehabilitation activity days. He was also banned from keeping animals for life, with no appeal allowed for 15 years.

Judge James Patrick described the case as “one of the most extraordinary” he had dealt with, citing both the extreme suffering of the dogs and the defendant’s difficult personal history. The court heard Parker had been struggling with care responsibilities while his partner was unwell and left the dogs behind after moving out.

Judge Patrick said: “This was prolonged neglect, and there was a deliberate disregard for the welfare of the animals. Aggravated because there was not one animal, but four — with two deaths and two others suffering life-threatening neglect.”

The RSPCA said the case was a stark reminder of the consequences of abandoning pets and the importance of seeking help when struggling to care for animals.