<p>A 41-year-old Indian-origin man was given a suspended sentence in the UK and banned from keeping dogs for two years for chaining his underweight pet dog to a freezer by a metal chain after it gave birth to seven puppies.</p>.<p>Gurminder Singh of Coventry was convicted in June of causing unnecessary suffering to his dog, Sasha, a Presa Canario, who had given birth a few weeks ago, The Coventry Telegraph newspaper reported earlier this month.</p>.<p>He was sentenced after pleading guilty to one offence under the Animal Welfare Act, the report said.</p>.<p>Apart from the two-year ban, Singh was also given an eight-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months, ordered to pay £400 costs and a £128 victim surcharge and do 80 hours of unpaid work.</p>.<p>Sasha appeared to be extremely underweight, with her spine, ribs and pelvic bones visible, and her seven puppies had weaned early due to her weak condition, the report said.</p>.<p>The dog and her puppies were admitted to a veterinary hospital, where Sasha was found to be grossly underweight. An examination by the vet found that Sasha weighed 25.7kg, nearly half the 40kg healthy average for that breed.</p>.<p>"...It can be confirmed that this dog had been suffering through a process of a lack of appropriate nutrition. The duration of this is approximately three weeks, though likely longer," the vet's statement said.</p>.<p>In mitigation, Singh told the court he was not a bad dog owner and had £222 worth of dog food in his fridge, which he had been feeding Sasha.</p>.<p>"I am suspending that custodial sentence for 12 months. I impose an eight-week prison sentence now suspended for 12 months - note I have reduced the sentence because of your early guilty plea," the judge said, announcing the sentence.</p>
<p>A 41-year-old Indian-origin man was given a suspended sentence in the UK and banned from keeping dogs for two years for chaining his underweight pet dog to a freezer by a metal chain after it gave birth to seven puppies.</p>.<p>Gurminder Singh of Coventry was convicted in June of causing unnecessary suffering to his dog, Sasha, a Presa Canario, who had given birth a few weeks ago, The Coventry Telegraph newspaper reported earlier this month.</p>.<p>He was sentenced after pleading guilty to one offence under the Animal Welfare Act, the report said.</p>.<p>Apart from the two-year ban, Singh was also given an eight-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months, ordered to pay £400 costs and a £128 victim surcharge and do 80 hours of unpaid work.</p>.<p>Sasha appeared to be extremely underweight, with her spine, ribs and pelvic bones visible, and her seven puppies had weaned early due to her weak condition, the report said.</p>.<p>The dog and her puppies were admitted to a veterinary hospital, where Sasha was found to be grossly underweight. An examination by the vet found that Sasha weighed 25.7kg, nearly half the 40kg healthy average for that breed.</p>.<p>"...It can be confirmed that this dog had been suffering through a process of a lack of appropriate nutrition. The duration of this is approximately three weeks, though likely longer," the vet's statement said.</p>.<p>In mitigation, Singh told the court he was not a bad dog owner and had £222 worth of dog food in his fridge, which he had been feeding Sasha.</p>.<p>"I am suspending that custodial sentence for 12 months. I impose an eight-week prison sentence now suspended for 12 months - note I have reduced the sentence because of your early guilty plea," the judge said, announcing the sentence.</p>