A woman from Kirkcaldy has been handed a £240 fine, a 24-month disqualification order and was ordered to pay a £20 victim surcharge for failing to adequately care for her dog.

38-year-old Allana Thomson of Blackcraigs, Kirkcaldy was found guilty on 24 October at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court of failing to meet the needs of her collie, Willow, on a regular basis.

Scottish SPCA inspector, Stephanie Ross, said, “On 30 July 2022 we received a call about a dog at a property at Blackcraigs, Kirkcaldy. The member of the public who called us was concerned as the owner, Allana Thomson, had recently acquired a dog but they had never seen the animal leave the premises.

“When we attended the property, Thomson claimed she only got the dog a few weeks ago from someone who was abusing her. When we asked where she had got the dog from and the name of the dog, she said she couldn’t remember. Thomson was given relevant advice on ensuring the dog received proper care and treatment at all times and we left.

“On 5 August we received a further call from the member of the public who said they could hear the dog inside the flat constantly throwing herself off the back of the door and trying to claw her way out. They also stated the dog looked petrified and always had her tail tucked up between her legs.

“We then received two calls from separate members of the public who had witnessed Thomson kicking her dog. One of them was driving past Thomson at the time and was so distressed that they stopped the car and told Thomson to stop. Thomson became very aggressive and proceeded to kick the dog again in front of the witness.

“When we attended Thomson’s address she became very abusive and would not engage with us or let us enter the property.

“A warrant was granted and then executed and we attended at Thomson’s property and removed the dog, a female collie named Willow, from her care due to immediate concerns for the dog’s welfare.

“Willow was examined by one of our vets and found to be extremely nervous and fearful in nature. Whilst there was no physical evidence of injury on Willow by the time she was examined, her disposition suggested she had experienced something to make her very wary of human contact.

“Thankfully, in the care of one of our animal rescue and rehoming centres with support from the team she came on leaps and bounds and finally learned to trust people again.

“We are pleased that Thomson received a ban, however given her behaviour we would have liked it to be for a longer period of time.

“Allana Thomson appears to be an extremely volatile and unpredictable individual. Willow was subjected to approximately five weeks of neglect and abuse in her care. Thomson proved unwilling to engage with the Scottish SPCA and did not seem to appreciate the severity of the situation.

“If anyone is concerned about the welfare of an animal they can call our confidential helpline on 03000 999 999.”