Auckland woman jailed for two months after failing to care for her dog who was so obese he couldn’t move

A woman has been jailed for allowing her dog to become so obese that he could barely move or breathe.

The dog, named Nuggi, was found in the home of an Auckland woman in New Zealand in October 2021 after police conducted a search of her home, the NZ Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) said.

During the ten-meter walk from the house to the car, the dog had to stop three times to catch his breath.

They also said that his ‘legs seemed to buckle under the weight of his enormous body’.

An SPCA vet gave evidence to the Manukau District Court that Nuggi weighed 53.7kg and was “so obese that it was not possible to hear his heart with a stethoscope” because the sound could not penetrate the fat.

The vet added that Nuggi would experience severe discomfort and stress in the long term due to the extra weight.

Veterinarians also found that Nuggi’s nails were too long, that the animal was covered in skin flaps and that it was suffering from conjunctivitis.

“Nuggi was easily one of the most obese animals we have ever encountered,” said SPCA Executive Director Todd Westwood.

Nuggi was found severely overweight in the home of an Auckland woman in New Zealand in October 2021

“He was so huge that he could barely walk. It was obvious that he was suffering from the enormous weight he was carrying.”

Mr Westwood also said his condition had come as a “huge shock” to SPCA inspectors and staff, who were used to dealing with animals at “the other end of the weight scale”.

“Sadly, we see animals every day that are underweight, starving or malnourished, but it is just as heartbreaking to see a helpless animal that is severely overfed,” he said.

Auckland woman sentenced to two months in jail for failing to meet her dog’s physical, health and behavioural needs and also fined $1,104 (stock photo)

Nuggi lost 19 pounds (8.9 kg) in the SPCA’s care, but died suddenly from health problems two months after her rescue.

The owner pleaded guilty in the Manukau District Court last week to failing to meet the dog’s physical, health and behavioural needs. He was ordered to pay $1,104 in compensation and was banned from owning dogs for 12 months.

“Being a responsible dog owner also means feeding your pet the right food and giving them daily exercise. That was clearly not the case here,” Mr Westwood said.

‘Nuggi was drastically overfed, and instead of seeking help or improving his behavior, his owner continued to overfeed him until he could barely walk. This is unacceptable.’