A man has appeared in court after the decomposing bodies of dogs, cats and rabbits were found at his home.
Mark Blackburn has been banned from keeping animals for 10 years following the disturbing discovery in Eccles.
RSPCA inspectors were called to the 35-year-old's home on Swanage Road on December 8, 2019.
There, they found 17 dead animals in the house - and five underweight Akita dogs.
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Blackburn, a dog breeder, pleaded guilty to four animal welfare offences when he appeared before Manchester Magistrates’ Court on September 14.
On arrival at his home, inspector Danni Jennings said there was an “obvious smell consistent with dead bodies”.
She said: “In the living room directly off the hallway on the right, there was a dead, black adult rabbit in a wooden box. This box contained no food or water.
“Under the window, behind a bed head was another dead, black adult rabbit. In the middle of this room, was a decomposing, what appeared to be a pug type dog.
“This dog appeared to have been scavenged as parts of its legs and face were missing and there was a heavy maggot infestation.
“In a dog crate at the back of this room were two more pug type dogs. These too were in a state of decomposition. There was no food or water visible in this crate.
“In a room off the kitchen was a filthy room. Conditions in this room were deplorable. Filthy dog crates with no bedding, food or water. Three of which contained the decomposed remains of Akita dogs.”
In the kitchen, she found a kennel containing a decomposed Akita.
In another cardboard box was another dead rabbit.
During a search of the hallway, Danni came across two cardboard boxes with the lids shut.
When she opened these, she found two dead rabbits with no food or water.
Upstairs, the decomposed body of another Akita was found in a crate in the main bedroom.
In another bedroom, the bodies of four dead and decomposing cats were found.
Five live Akitas were found in the property and were taken for veterinary treatment.
All were underweight and three needed drips inserted as they were dehydrated.
Four of the live Akitas were owned by other breeders and have been returned to their owners and made a recovery.
One was owned by Blackburn and was signed over into RSPCA care for rehoming.
An expert vet said the decomposition of the animals suggested they all died at various times from dehydration as no drinking water was present at the house.
He added: “All would have suffered from mechanisms of pain, headaches, disorientation, intense thirst, weakness, fatigue, eventual collapse, organ failure and death for a period of at least five days, possibly longer.”
In mitigation, the court heard Blackburn was suffering from depression and anxiety.
As well as the 10-year ban on keeping animals, Blackburn was also given four months custody suspended for six months for each offence to run concurrently.
He was also handed a 12-month community order including a Rehabilitation and Activity Requirement for 15 days and ordered to pay £900 costs.
