A man has been banned from keeping animals for five years after he starved his dog to the point that “every vertebrae” could be felt under the animal’s shaggy coat.

When terrier Storm was given a bowl of food after his rescue by the RSPCA, he was so hungry he ate it in eight seconds.

On Wednesday, (July 18), Storm’s previous owner James Gray, 38, of Woodlands, Newbridge-on-Wye, was sentenced at Merthyr Tydfil magistrates court after pleading guilty to an offence of causing unnecessary suffering to the four-year-old dog.

The court heard that on examination by a vet, Storm was found to be emaciated and is believed to have been suffering for at least two weeks.

RSPCA inspector Izzi Hignell rescued Storm from the rural location in December last year after the animal charity received a call about concerns for the dog’s welfare.

Inspector Hignell said: “Storm is a shaggy dog so it wasn’t immediately obvious that he was so skinny but as soon as I felt him I could feel every single vertebrae under his coat. He was a skeleton.”

Storm was taken to a vet to be examined and while there, he was given a bowl of food. He was so hungry that he ate it in eight seconds.

“Storm was failed in every way,” said Inspector Hignell. “He was left on his own for long periods of time and he was not given regular food. He had been completely neglected.”

Since being in the RSPCA’s care, Storm has put on weight and is now looking healthy.

“He is a lovely dog and he is doing amazing now,” added Inspector Hignell.

As well as a five-year ban on keeping animals, Gray was also given a 12-month community order and was ordered to pay £300 costs.

Storm will be available for rehoming soon.