Healthboard chairman resigns after animal neglect conviction

Animal neglect: Millie was found with matted hair in urine soaked bedding © Scottish SPCA

The chairman of a healthboard has retired after being banned from keeping animals for five years.

Mike Keggans, chairman of NHS Dumfries and Galloway, resigned just a week after he was convicted of animal neglect and fined £900 at Dumfries Sherriff court.

Keggans, 48, was found guilty of keeping a twelve year old dog, Millie, without food and water in Thornhill on the Buccleugh Estate last year.

The vice chair of the health board, Andrew Johnston will now act as chair while recruitment takes place.

The Scottish SPCA removed Millie from the house on March 20 last year after receiving a call from a member of the public who was concerned that the dog had been abandoned in the property.

After conviction, Scottish SPCA inspector Arianne Harkness said: “Keggans is an intelligent and educated individual who should have had enough foresight to make adequate provision for the needs of the dog in his care.

"Millie was found with her thick coat badly matted and her bedding was wet and stained with urine.

"There were several puddles of urine throughout the house suggesting she had been wetting indoors for a considerable period of time. For a housetrained dog as Millie was this would have been distressing for her.

"Throughout our investigation Keggans evaded contact and showed little concern for the dog that was missing from his property therefore it is fitting that he has received a fine and a five year ban on keeping animals."

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: "I can confirm that I have accepted Mike Keggans' resignation as Chairman of Dumfries and Galloway Health Board, with effect from today.

"The vice chair will now act as chair while the process to recruit a new chair, which was due to get underway later this year, is carried out.

"I would like to thank Mr Keggans for his many years of service to NHS Scotland."

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