Four dogs, hedgehog and snake found in 'shocking' house covered in faeces in Inverness

A man who kept four dogs, a hedgehog, and a snake in “shocking conditions” in his home has been banned from owning pets for four years.

Scott Trist, from Inverness, pled guilty to failing to provide veterinary assessment and treatment for a hedgehog suffering from an obvious and painful eye condition.

Investigators from the Scottish SPCA attended Trist’s home in Whitebridge following a complaint to their helpline raising concerns about living conditions for dogs at the property, including a large amount of faeces in the rear garden.

Trist refused to let officers enter or inspect the garden before a warrant was issued.

Seven animals were rescued from “almost inconceivable” conditions surrounded by faeces and urine at Trist’s home in Whitebridge, on April 26 last year.

Three dogs, a female German Shepherd cross, a female Dogue de Bordeaux cross, and a male Presa Canario type, were found living on a floor heavily soiled with dog excrement.

Hedgehog found by SSPCA inspectors SSPCA

A section of the room had been fenced off, forming a pen saturated with feces and urine, and a six-month-old female crossbreed puppy was discovered so frightened she was attempting to hide under a cabinet.

A visibly underfed seven-foot boa constrictor was found in Trist’s dog faeces-covered home, in an enclosure strewn with numerous dead, uneaten chicks.

Officers also discovered an African pygmy hedgehog in a vivarium that lacked any form of heating or lighting, with no food inside. The animal had a visibly inflamed injury to her right eye and a noticeable lump on her front right leg.

Trist was sentenced at Inverness Sheriff Court on Thursday, where he was given a four-year disqualification from owning or keeping animals and was also sentenced to 210 hours of unpaid community service.

An SSPCA inspector report added: “Upon entering the living room, we were met with overwhelming evidence of neglect.

“The garden was covered in dog faeces, and alongside the wall of the house were numerous black bin bags full of household waste and dog faeces.

“Upstairs, we found a small bedroom containing multiple reptile tanks. While most of the enclosures were empty, one large vivarium housed a boa constrictor measuring approximately seven feet in length. The snake was visibly underweight, and the enclosure was strewn with numerous dead, uneaten chicks.

“All animals were removed from the property under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006.

“This case highlights the severe consequences of neglect and the suffering that animals endure when people fail to meet even the most basic standards of care. We are relieved these animals are now safe and are now in the homes they deserve.”

If you are concerned about the welfare of an animal, please contact the Scottish SPCA confidential animal helpline on 03000 999 999.