A 58-YEAR-OLD man prosecuted for allowing his dogs to live in squalid conditions was sharing the same house with the animals.

Blackburn magistrates heard Malcolm Ogden was a vulnerable individual who had 'slipped through the cracks' in the care system.

"These were appalling conditions for animals to be living in but also appalling conditions for him to have to live in," said Keith Rennison, defending.

Ogden, 58, of Frederick Street, Accrington, pleaded guilty to failing to failing to ensure the dogs' welfare, in that they were kept in 'malodorous, dirty, cluttered, rubbish strewn, faeces and urine contaminated and hazardous conditions' and failing to ensure their welfare by providing clean, fresh drinking water.

He was made subject to a community order for 10 months with 20 days rehabilitation activity requirement, fined £100 and ordered to pay £300 costs and £85 victim surcharge.

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The court made a deprivation order to remove the dogs involved and also banned Ogden from keeping dogs or cats for five years.

Chris Wyatt, prosecuting for the RSPCA, said the animal welfare organisation was first alerted when Ogden took a dead dog to the Manchester Dogs' Home to be cremated.

"This dog wasn't the subject of these proceedings but it sparked the RSPCA interest," said Mr Wyatt. "In a joint operation with the police a warrant was obtained to search the property in Frederick Street.

"They found four dogs, each in separate rooms, living in awful conditions."

Mr Rennison said various agencies were involved with his client and it was now planned for him to be placed in sheltered accommodation.