A WORCESTER man has been banned from keeping animals for 10 years after admitting abandoning two dogs, which were suffering from painful skin conditions, and 12 cats.

Arthur Annis appeared at Worcester Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a Staffordshire bull terrier and a wire hair fox terrier, as well as failing to provide the dogs with a suitable, safe environment.

The court heard enforcement officers from Worcester Community Housing visited his former house in Vigornia Avenue, off Astwood Road, in April last year after the 66-year-old, his wife and their 39-year-old son, who has special needs, were evicted.

When they arrived they found the two dogs – both of which were suffering from a skin condition – as well as the cats along with what was described as “an overwhelming smell of ammonia and faeces”.

The dogs were seized and taken to the vets while the cats were handed to welfare organisation Cats Protection.

Nick Roberts, defending, said Annis had been dealing with the illness of his mother as well as eviction proceedings and things had got on top of him.

“It’s not a case of the dogs not being fed, not being walked and not being watered,” he said.

Handing Annis an order banning him from keeping any animal for the next 10 years, District Judge Nigel Cadbury said he did not believe he and his family were suited to caring for pets.

“They’ve got their hands full with humans never mind animals,” he said.

He added, although the order did not technically forbid Annis’ wife or son from owning an animal, doing so would be inadvisable.

“If your son or your wife decides they want an animal that would not go down well because you would inevitable become involved in their care,” he said.

“Please do not try and find a way around this.”

Annis, now of Prestbury Close, Blackpole, Worcester, was also ordered to pay £1,000 costs.