Falkirk offender locked her dog up with no food or water for almost a week

Emma Buchanan (22) was said to be “troubled”, but a sheriff was more troubled by her non-attendance at court and the mounting kennel bills for the dog, which he stated someone was going to eventually have to pay for.

Buchanan appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court on Thursday, having pleaded guilty to mistreating her dog at her Kilmory Court, Tamfourhill home between March 25 and March 29 last year.

The charges stated Buchanan left her Staffordshire terrier/Labrador cross Chico unattended in a locked room, covered in excrement and urine, and failed to make adequate provision for his welfare, giving him no access to food or water during the five days he was trapped there.

At an earlier court appearance first offender Buchanan was said to be a “very troubled young woman”.

On Thursday it was stated she had been engaging with social work.

Sheriff Craig Harris shared his concerns for Chico, who was said to have been staying in the police kennels, and who was going to be looking after him now Buchanan was subject to an order banning her from keeping pets.

He continued matters to January 19, 2023, and called for a supplementary criminal justice social work report to find out if the status of the dog, if it had been re-homed, relocated or was still in the police kennels.