‘The floor wasn’t visible’: Seven pets rescued from filthy, faeces-strewn West Yorkshire home
A woman in West Yorkshire has been banned from keeping all animals for life after five dogs and two cats were found living in grotesque conditions.
Nicole Stoker, aged 45, of Moortown Avenue in Bradford, pleaded guilty to one animal welfare offence at Bradford Magistrates Court, admitting that she had been unable to meet the needs of her seven pets.
The case came to light following a distressing inspection by the RSPCA, during which an inspector discovered the animals confined to separate, filthy rooms throughout the property.
The court was told that RSPCA inspector Rebecca Goulding visited Stoker’s home on April 12 of this year, after receiving a call to the charity’s cruelty line about a number of animals in her care.
Inspector Goulding told the hearing on November 27 that upon visiting the property, Stoker advised her that there were five dogs and two cats in the home, all living in separate, unsanitary rooms.
She said: “Initially, she agreed to open the curtain to the downstairs living room so I could see in. A cane corso type dog came to the window, but behind her I was able to see that the floor was covered in faeces, such that the original flooring could not be seen.”
After Stoker admitted the rest of the home was in a similar state, Goudling advised that she wanted to search the property as she suspected Animal Welfare Act Offences had been committed, and she was allowed to look around.
Inspector Goulding said: “The first room I entered was the living room in which Nala was kept, as seen through the window it was not possible to see the original flooring for faeces, both fresh and mouldy - also in the room was a sofa that had been destroyed by the dog, there were a number of black bin liners of rubbish that had been torn open.
“There were scratch marks into both doors and damage to the plaster of the wall where the dog had got down through to the brick.
“In the kitchen were two cats, Shadow and Stitch, and crossbreed dog Albus, along with a pug in a similar state; the floor was ankle deep with faeces in places. There were a number of large empty dog food bags that appeared to be where the dogs were sleeping, but these too were covered in faeces. All the kitchen surfaces were covered in faeces.”
She continued: “Upstairs the bathroom floor had been pulled up, again there was a large amount of fresh and mouldy faeces. There was a garden shovel that had been used to pile the faeces up against the bottom of the sink. Stoker advised that a large bulldog called Sky used to be kept there but was no longer.
“In the front bedroom there was a double bed that was soiled with faeces. It was not possible to see the floor in half the room because of rubbish piled up; and to the far side of the room there was again a large amount of faeces. The cleanest room in the house was Stoker’s bedroom, this had no faeces anywhere, but was unkempt with household rubbish in it.”
The inspector added that the smell of faeces and ammonia was so overpowering throughout the house that it burnt the back of her throat, and she struggled not to gag during evidence gathering.
All seven pets were taken to the RSPCA’s Greater Manchester Animal Hospital, but due to behavioural issues caused by a lack of socialisation, Albus and Cookie had to be put to sleep. Nala has since been rehomed and Sky will be available for rehoming in the coming weeks. The two cat brothers, Shadow and Stitch, are currently looking for a new home together.
During her interview, Stoker admitted she had not walked the dogs for several months and that both cats were house cats confined in the environment with no respite. She admitted that conditions in the property had deteriorated to its current state around six months earlier.
Mitigating, the hearing was told that the defendant was “completely out of her depth” regarding the number of pets she had obtained and that she had suffered a miscarriage in 2024 and was unable to look after the animals or herself.
Magistrates said Stoker’s offending fell into the highest category and would normally result in a prison sentence. She was given a three-month jail term, suspended for 12 months, and told to complete ten Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days. She was also ordered to pay costs of £250 and a £154 Victim Surcharge.