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THE OWNER of a ten stone dalmatian made his dog morbidly obese by feeding it crisps and chocolate, a court heard.

John Green, 50, of Chelford Road, Macclesfield, was yesterday banned from keeping dogs for a decade after RSPCA officers found Barney locked in a portable office with no food and dirty water. He weighed ten stone – four stone overweight.

The dog was found to become quickly out of breath after exercise and had "chunks of fat and no waist".

Jobless Green pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and two offences of failing to ensure a dog's welfare when he appeared before Macclesfield magistrates yesterday (November 18)

Andrew Meachin, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, told the court the pet was "grossly and morbidly obese".

"In the vet's professional opinion it was suffering due to extreme obesity," he added.

"It was unable to jump and the weight caused it to be out of breath with minimal exercise. (RSPCA officers) grabbed chunks of fat across the belly and no waist was visible.

"No food or water was left out.

"The suffering could have been avoided altogether. It's perfectly feasible for the dog to be dieted, and a reasonable and humane person would not allow their dog to become obese.

"When Mr Green would have a bag of crisps, the dog would have a bag of crisps."

RSPCA inspectors were called to an industrial estate in Macclesfield on June 10 to find eight-year-old Barney locked in the portable office.

"After police forced entry, the dog was discovered panting and without any food or clean water."

Green had previously been warned about his pet's weight.

The court heard Green would feed the dog twice a day and walk it in the morning and evening - but give it crisps and chocolate.

After being rescued by the RSPCA its weight was measured at 65.8 kilogrammes (10st 5lbs) but a programme of dieting brought it down to around 40 kilogrammes (6st 4lbs).

Defence solicitor John Temperley said Green had not noticed it was overweight.

He added: "The phrase killing the dog with kindness comes to mind. He just overfed and overindulged his dog."

RSPCA inspector Rachel Andrews discovered the locked-up dog.

Speaking after the sentence, she said: "When I looked through the window to see Barney I was really shocked at how obese he was, he was just sat curled up in a chair panting.

"I don't think Mr Green is capable of looking after an animal."

Elizabeth Depares, chairman of the bench, ordered Green to complete 200 hours' unpaid work for each of the three offences, to run concurrently.

He was also banned for keeping or owning a dog for ten years and ordered to pay £780 costs.

Barney is making a fully recovery and has no long-term illness, the RSPCA said.