The 10-year-old black and tan German shepherd-type bitch, which had a tumour in its mouth, was seriously underweight, appeared to have decaying skin around its eye which was dripping and was drooling thick red saliva, Burnley magistrates heard.

The hearing was told how the dog would have been suffering for weeks but its owner "did nothing about it," as she claimed she could not afford to take it to the vet.

The owner, pregnant mother-of-four Emma Lillian Couldridge (29), of Garden Street, Brierfield, admitted causing unnecessary suffering between last December 20th and January 10th. The Bench, who said they had been lenient as she could have been jailed, gave her a three-month 9 p.m. to 8 a.m. curfew, seven days a week. She was banned from owning or taking responsibility for animals for five years and must pay £100 costs.

Mr Chris Wyatt (prosecuting for the RSPCA) said an inspector could see the dog's ribs, hip bones and spine. It had trouble walking, had a large wound above its right eye and smelled of rotting flesh. A vet found it weighed 19.2 kg, instead of the normal 25 to 30 kilos.

Mr Wyatt went on: "The defendant failed to provide veterinary treatment for a jaw problem and eating difficulties and the animal would have suffered for about three weeks."

Couldridge said she had earlier planned to put the dog to sleep but could not go through with it and also claimed she could not afford to take it to the vet. Her other dog had now been rehoused.

Miss Sue Robinson (defending) said Couldridge was of good character. She lived on a relatively meagre salary with four children under eight and was separated from her husband.

She had had the dog for six years and it had been taken to the vet when needed. Last October Couldridge noticed an injury to the animal's left cheek, cleaned it regularly with antiseptic, cleaned the dog's teeth and it cleared up within weeks.

At Christmas she became aware the dog had a problem with its right cheek and treated it in the same manner. The dog was fed regularly and walked. The defendant continued the treatment, hoping the illness would go away.

Miss Robinson said: "As far as she was concerned there was no indication of any pain. She continued to care for the dog as best she could but accepted she failed to take it to the vet. Had she had the money the animal might have been taken for treatment sooner than it was. It was not deliberate cruelty."

Miss Robinson added Couldridge was extremely remorseful and had learned her lesson. "The dog was treated like a member of the family. The dog was well loved and is now very much missed."