A woman from Lewisham has been banned from keeping animals after failing to meet the needs of her bull breed dog Rubic, whose emaciated body was brought to a veterinary practice after his death.
Vanessa Anne Kentfield (13/01/1991) of Manor Park, London, pleaded guilty to an animal welfare offence following an investigation and prosecution by the RSPCA.
The animal welfare charity was alerted by a vet when Rubic, a three-year-old bull breed, was brought to New Cross PDSA pet hospital on 27 November 2025 following his death.
Vets said that no explanation was provided for his death.
Rubic weighed just 21kg (46lb) – less than half the weight he should have been – and was described by a vet as skeletal. The vet’s notes stated that: “the bones of his head, thorax, spine, limbs and pelvis were easily visible” with no fat or muscle present.
His body condition score was one out of five – the lowest possible score.
Rubic had previously been seen by vets on 13 August 2024 in a starving condition with a laceration to his neck (see picture). Kentfield told vets at the time he had been looked after by a friend. He later returned in an improved condition, but still remained underweight.
She failed to return with him for a scheduled checkup, and did not bring him back to the practice until more than a year later, when his body was presented following his death.
The vet concluded that Rubic had suffered for an extended period, noting: “it is unconscionable that a young dog should have been allowed to reach the condition he had.
“He would have suffered from overwhelming, severe, unrelenting feelings of hunger that would have occupied almost every waking moment
“Pressure sores on his body suggested he had been laying on bony prominences for sustained periods of time and his nails were overgrown on all four feet, suggestive of inactivity.”
Rubic was under PDSA care, meaning veterinary treatment was available through the charity. Kentfield provided no explanation for the condition in which her dog ended up.
At Bromley Magistrates’ Court on 14 September, Kentfield was banned from keeping all animals until further order and ordered to pay £300 in costs. The disqualification order cannot be appealed for five years.
In mitigation, Kentfield told the court that she had mental health issues.
RPCA Inspector Natalie Kitchin, who led the investigation, said: “Animals are completely reliant on their owners to ensure their needs are met, including a suitable diet, their ability to exhibit normal behavioural patterns and to protect them from pain and suffering.
“Owning an animal is a privilege and ensuring appropriate care is a key part of the responsibility we have towards them.
“There is help for people who are struggling, and we would urge people to reach out for help before it is too late.”
