IS THIS REALLY WHAT DONATORS THINK THE RSPCA SHOULD BE SPENDING THEIR HARD EARNED MONEY ON ?A DEFIANT pensioner who kept 40 cats at her home has been found guilty of animal cruelty.
In a case which cost the RSPCA over £110,000, Elsie Nash, aged 79, was told that her well-intentioned actions had led to unnecessary suffering.
Animal welfare experts found that many of the 40 cats had respiratory and ear infections, and criticised the state of the three-bedroom house.
Nash will be sentenced next month. But, speaking outside Birmingham Magistrates Court, she refused to accept that she had acted wrongly, and said she had no regrets.
“My life is my own, and the cats were my life,” she said.
“They couldn’t care less about the welfare of cats.”
The court was shown a video of the house, in Kingsbury Road, Erdington, which was run-down and dominated by cats.
Nash was found guilty of 13 charges of cruelty, but not guilty over the death of one cat following a nose infection.
Judge Qureshi warned that he would be considering all his options for sentencing - including prison .
In a case which cost the RSPCA over £110,000, Elsie Nash, aged 79, was told that her well-intentioned actions had led to unnecessary suffering.
Animal welfare experts found that many of the 40 cats had respiratory and ear infections, and criticised the state of the three-bedroom house.
Nash will be sentenced next month. But, speaking outside Birmingham Magistrates Court, she refused to accept that she had acted wrongly, and said she had no regrets.
“My life is my own, and the cats were my life,” she said.
“They couldn’t care less about the welfare of cats.”
The court was shown a video of the house, in Kingsbury Road, Erdington, which was run-down and dominated by cats.
Nash was found guilty of 13 charges of cruelty, but not guilty over the death of one cat following a nose infection.
Judge Qureshi warned that he would be considering all his options for sentencing - including prison .
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Erdington cat cruelty pensioner backed by neighbour
Jan 20 2009 Birmingham Post
Supporters of the Birmingham pensioner found guilty of 13 charges of animal cruelty have defended her treatment of cats.
Despite being charged with mistreatment of the 40 animals she had at her home, friends say that Elsie Nash, aged 79, only had the cats best interests at heart.
Douglas Sabin, who lives near Elsie in Erdington, said: “She has devoted her entire adult life to the protection and welfare of strayed and homeless cats.
“Much of her time was given to holding charity events to raise funds for cat protection, she has had no life except for that given freely for the welfare of the animals she loves so much.”
The RSPCA showed magistrates a video of the house, with overflowing litter trays, splattered walls, filthy floors and said to contain an “overpowering smell”.
But Mr Sabin added: “To find her guilty of animal cruelty is truly not a case of justice served.”
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